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A 

NEW  AND  COMPLETE 

UNIVERSAL  HISTORY 

OF    THK 

HOLY  BIBLE, 

FROM    THE 

CREATION  OF  THE  WORLD, 

TO    THE 

FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CllllISTIANITT, 

BY  OUR  BLESSED  LORD  AND  SAVIOUR 

JESUS  CHRIST, 

AND  HIS  HOLY  EVANGELISTS,  APOSTLES, 
DISCIPLES,  <Sfc. 

CONTAINING  A  CLEAR  AND  COMPREHENSIVE  ACCOUNT  OF  EVERY  REMARKABLE 

TRANSACTION  RECORDED  IN  THE  SACRED  SCRIPTURES,  DURING 

A  PERIOD  OE  UPWARDS  OF  FOUR  THOUSAND  YEARS. 

IX  FOUR  VOLUMES. 
BY  THE  REV.  EDWARD  KIMPTOX, 

VICAR  OF  ROGATE,  IN  SUSSEX,  MORNING  PREACHER  OF  ST.  MATTHEW'S,  BETH- 
NAL-GREEN,  AND  LATE  OF  CHRIST'S  COLLEGE,   CAMBRIDGE. 

ASSISTED  BY   MAXY  LEARNED   GENTLEMEN,  WHO    HAVE  MADE 
THE  SACRED  WRITINGS  THEIR  PECULIAR  STUDY. 

VOL.  IV. 

TIRST   AMERICAN   EDITION. 


>00^©$$®»»'< 


TRENTON: 

PUBLISHED  BY  J.  J.  WILSON,  AND  D.  FEKTON, 

'.Tames  J.  Wilson,  Printer. 

J  SI  3. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2011  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://www.archive.org/details/newcompleteunive04kimp 


CONTENTS  OF  THE  WHOLE  WORK. 


The  History  of  that  stupendous  Work  the  Creation  of  the 
World. 

The  Creation  of  Adam  and  Eve — their  Temptation,  Fall,  and 
Expulsion  from  Paradise — Its  fatal  consequences,  &c. 

The  Wickedness  of  Mankind. — The  General  Deluge The 

Preservation  of  Noah  and  his  Family,  &e. 

The  Building  of  Bahel — Confusion  of  Tongues,  and  Dispersion 
of  the  People. 

History  of  Abraham  and  his  Family. — Destruction  of  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah,  &c. 

History  of  Joseph  and  his  Brethren,  &c. 

Persecutions  of  the  Israelites  by  Pharaoh  King  of  Egypt,  with 
the  various  Transactions  that  took  place  previous  to  their 
being  miraculously  released  from  Bondage. 

The  astonishing  Miracles  performed  by  Moses  in  Egypt,  the 
Wilderness  and  other  places. 

The  Travels  and  various  Revolutions  of  the  Israelites,  with  the 
great  Miracles  wrought  in  their  favor  by  Divine  Interposi- 
tion before  their  Settlement  at  Jerusalem. 

History  of  Sampson,  Saul  and  Jonathan,  Naomi  and  Ruth, 
Judith  and  Holofernes,  Susanna  and  the  Elders,  Hainan  and 
Mordeeai,  Deborah  and  Barak,  &c. 

History  of  the  Babylonish  Captivity.— .Destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem, &c.  &c. 

Account  of  the  ancient  State  of  Jerusalem,  with  an  accurate 
description  of  that  magnificent  Building,  Solomon's  Temple. 

The  various  Predictions  of  the  Prophets,  concerning  the  Com- 
ing and  Offices  of  the  Messiah,  the  Restoration  of  the  Jews, 
kc.  with  other  Prophecies  that  have  been,  and  are  now  fill? 
filling,  in  different  parts  of  the  World. 

INCLUDING  PARTICULAR  ACCOUNTS 

OF    THE 

LIVES  AND  TRANSACTIONS 

OF    THE 

MOST  EMINENT  PATRIARCHS,  PROPHETS, 

AND 

OTHER  SERVANTS  OF  GOD, 

Who,  by  an  inspired  Grace,  have  distinguished  themselves  in  the 
Display  of  Divine  Wisdom  j 


SUCH    AS 

NOAH; 

JOSHUA, 

EZEKIEL, 

OB AD I AH, 

ABRAHAM, 

SAMUEL, 

JEREMIAH, 

NEHEMIAH, 

ISAAC, 

DAVID, 

DANIEL, 

HO  SEA, 

JACOB, 

SOLOMON, 

JONAH, 

2ECHERIAH, 

JOSEPH, 

JOB, 

ELIJAH, 

AMOS, 

MOSES, 

ISAIAH, 

ELISHA, 

MALACHI,  &C, 

TOGETHER 

WITH  A  FULL  AND  UNIVERSAL  HISTORY 

OF    THE 

LIFE,  TRANSACTIONS,  AND  MIRACLES, 


BLESSED  REDEEMER, 

PROM  HIS    BIRTH   TO   HIS    CRUCIFIXION,   RESURRECTION,    AND 

ASCENSION. 

Also  the  Lives,  Travels,  Doctrines,  Sufferings,  and  various 
Martyrdoms  of  the  Holy  Evangelists,  Matthew,  Mark, 
Luke  and  John;  with  the  Lives  of  the  Holy  Apostles,  and 
other  Disciples ;  particularly  St.  Peter,  Paul,  Andrew, 
James  the  Great  and  Less, PmLir,  Bartholomew,  Simon, 
Jude,  Matthias,  Barnabas,  Stephen,  Timothy,  Titus, 
&e.  who  were  made  Instruments,  hy  Divine  Grace,  in  pro- 
moting the  Establishment  of  Christianity,  the  Foundation 
whereon  are  built  all  our  Hopes  of  Eternal  Salvation. 

TO    WHICH    ARE    ADDED, 

A  summary  View  of  the  great  Difference  between  the  Law  as 
delivered  by  MOSES  and  the  PROPHETS,  and  the  Gospel 
under  CHRIST  and  his  APOSTLES.  Also  the  connexion 
between  the  OLD  and  NEW  TESTAMENTS,  with  a  clear 
Display  of  the  great  Truths  of  DIVINE  REVELATION. 

INCLUDING, 

THE  VARIOUS  OBSERVATIONS,  COMMENTS  AND 
ILLUSTRATIONS, 

Of  the  most  learned  Bishops,  Divines,  Ecclesiastical  and 
other  authentic,  ancient  and  modern  Historians,  who  have 
hitherto  written  on  the  subject. 

The  whole  calculated  to  Enlighten  the  Understanding,  purify 
the  Heart,  and  promote  that  Knowledge,  by  which  we  may 
obtain  Happiness  in  this  World,  and  eternal  Salvation  in  that 
which  is  to  come. 


A 

NEW  AND  COMPLETE 

UNIVERSAL  HISTORY 

OF    THE 

HOLY  BIBLE. 

PART  II. 


CONTAINING  THE  HISTORY  OF  THE 


NEW   TESTAMENT 


BOOK  I. 

FROM    THE    BIRTH    OF    CHRIST,    TO    HIS    ASCENSIOX 

1NTO    HEAVEN. 

[INCLUDING    A    PERIOD    OF   33    YEARS."] 


CHAP.  XII. 

Our  Blessed  Lord  goes  io  the  house  of  Simon  the  leper  at  Beth- 
any, where  he  is  anointed  by  a  poor  hut  jrions  woman.  The 
Sanhedrim  meet  at  Jerusalem,  and  form  an  ultimate  resolu- 
tion of  putting  him  to  death.  Our  Lord  teaches  his  disciples 
humility  by  condescending  to  wash  their  feet.  Intimates  to 
them  who  should  betray  him  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies. 
The  perfidious  Judas  goes  to  the  Sanhedrim  and  agrees  to 
betray  his  Master  for  thirty  pieces  of  silver.  Our  Lord  ex- 
horts his  other  apostles  to  mutual  love.  Sends  Peter  and 
John  to  Jerusalem  to  make  the  necessary  preparations  for 
celebrating  the  Passover.  Mevivcs  the  drooping  spirits  of  his 


&  EROM   THE    BIRTH    OF    CHRIST, 

aposlJes,  by  promising  them  a  belter  life,  and  the  gifts  of  the- 
Holy  Ghost?  after  his  departure.  Goes  to  Jerusalem,  and 
after  eating  the  Passover,  institutes  the  Sacrament,  in  com- 
memoration of  his  death  and  sufferings.  Reproves  his  apos- 
tles for  their  ambitious  thoughts.  Predicts  Peter's  cowardice 
in  denying  him.  Fortifies  his  disciples  against  his  approach- 
ing death.  Foretels  Peter's  cowardice  again.  Preaches  to 
and  prays  with  his  disciples  for  the  last  time.  Retires  into 
the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  where  he  prays  in  private  to.  his 
Father.  Is  in  great  agony  on  the  occasion;  but  receives 
comfortfrom  a  Divine  messenger.  Is  betrayed  by  Judas,  and 
seized  by  a  band  of  soldiers. 

AFTER  our  Blessed  Lord  had  finished  his  prophetic 
discourse  to  his  disciples  on  the  Mount  of  Olives,  he  re- 
tired with  them  to  Bethany,  and  there  entered  the  house 
of  one  Simon,  whom,  among  his  other  miracles,  he  had 
cured  of  a  leprosy.  While  he  was  here,  a  woman,  who, 
doubtless,  had  been  an  object  of  his  mercy,  and  was  now 
desirous  of  testifying  her  acknowledgments  for  the  past 
benefits  received,  came  into  the  room  where  he  was,  and, 
out  of  an  alabaster  cruse,  poured  so  great  a  quantity  of 
rich  ointment  upon  his  head,  as  scented  the  whole  house 
with  its  fragrancy.  This  action  greatly  displeased  the 
disciples,  who  knew  their  Master  was  not  delighted  with 
luxuries  of  any  kind;  and  therefore  they  rebuked  the 
woman,  imagining  that  it  would  have  been  more  accepta- 
ble to  the  Son  of  (rod,  if  the  ointment  had  been  sold,  and 
the  money  distributed  among  the  sons  and  daughters  of 
poverty  and  affliction.  But  our  Blessed  Lord  reproved 
his  disciples  for  their  conduct.  He  told  them  that  those 
who  did  not  now  testify  their  love  to  him  would  soon  be 
deprived  of  the  opportunity  of  doing  it,  as  the  time  of 
his  ministry  was  near  its  period,  when  the  king  of  terrors 
should  enjoy  a  short  triumph  over  his  body;  and  that 
therefore  this  woman  had  seasonably  anointed  him  for  his 
burial.  And  to  make  them  sensible  of  their  folly  in  blam- 
ing the  woman  for  her  conduct,  he  assured  them,  that  she 
should  be  highly  celebrated  for  this  action,  in  every  part 
of  the  world,  and  that  her  memory  should  live  to  the 
latest  period  of  time.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Wheresoever 
ihis  gospel  shall  be  preached  throughout  the  whole  world. 


TO   HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    BEATEN.  7 

this  «/so  //m£  afc  fiuth  done  shall  be  spoken  of  for  a  me- 
mo rial  of  her.  Mark  xiv.  9. 

After  this  transaction  our  Lord  left  Simon's  house,  and 
went  to  that  of  Martha's,  where  he  continued  all  the 
next  day,  without  going  to  Jerusalem,  as  he  had  done  the 
day  before. 

In  the  mean  time  the  Sanhedrim  assembled  at  the 
palace  of  Caiphas  the  high-priest,  where  the  Priests, 
Scribes,  and  Elders  of  the  people,  held  a  solemn  debate 
and  consultation  how  they  might  take  Jesus  by  some 
secret  stratagem,  and  put  him  to  death.  This  was  the 
second  council  they  had  held  on  the  occasion,  and  though 
therein  it  was  determined  he  should  die,  yet  they  thought 
it  not  advisable  to  put  their  design  into  execution  during 
the  time  of  the  approaching  solemnity,  lest  it  should 
cause  a  sedition  among  the  people,  who  had  the  highest 
veneration  for  him.  And  the  chief  jiriests  and  the  Scribe* 
sought  how  they  might  take  him  by  craft,  and  put  him  to 
death.  But  they  said,  Not  on  the  feast-day,  lest  there  be 
an  uproar  of  the  people. 

On  the  second  evening  of  our  Lord's  being  at  Bethany, 
he  supped,  with  his  disciples,  at  Martha's  house ;  and, 
while  they  were  at  table,  considering  within  himself,  that 
bis  time  was  now  short,  he  resolved  to  give  them  a  far- 
ther testimony  of  his  love,  and,  from  his  own  example, 
teach  them  two  virtues,  which,  of  all  others,  were  more 
especially  requisite  in  their  ministry  of  the  Gospel,  name- 
ly, humility  and  charity.  To  this  purpose,  risiug  from 
the  table,  laying  aside  his  upper  garment,  and  girding 
himself  with  a  towel  (as  the  manner  of  servants  then 
was  when  they  waited  on  their  masters)  he  poured 
water  into  a  bason,  and  began  to  wash  his  apostles'  feet, 
and  to  wipe  them  with  the  towel.  Amazed  at  this  conde- 
scension, Peter,  (when  he  came  to  him)  modestly  declin- 
ed it;  but  his  Master  told  him,  that  if  he  refused  to  sub- 
mit implicitly  to  all  his  orders,  he  could  have  no  part 
with  him;  upon  which  Peter  cried  out,  Lord,  not  my  feet 
only,  but  also  my  hands  and  my  head.  But  our  Lord  told 
him  that  the  person  who  had  bathed  himself  had  no 
reason  to  wash  any  part  of  the  body,  except  his  feet* 
which  he  might  have  dirtied  by  walking  from  the  bath* 


8  FROM    THE    BIRTH    OF    CHRIST, 

When  our  Blessed  Lord  had  made  an  end  of  washing 
his  disciples'  feet,  he  put  on  his  garment,  and  sitting  down 
again  at  the  table,  explained  to  them  the  meaning  of  what 
he  had  done,  viz.  "  That  since  he,  who  was  justly  ac- 
f  knowledged  to  be  their  Lord  and  Master,  had  conde- 
"  scended  so  far  as  to  wash  their  feet,  they,  in  imitation 
*°  of  his  example,  ought  to  think  it  no  disparagement  to 
*4'  them,  to  perform  the  meanest  offices  of  kindness  and 
"  charity  to  each  other;  for,  though  they  were  exalted  to 
u  the  dignity  of  his  apostles,  yet  still  they  were  but  his 
"  servants ;  and  that  therefore  it  would  be  an  high  piece 
6i  of  arrogance  in  them  to  assume  more  state  and  grandeur 
u  than  their  Master  had  done  before  them." 

After  saying  this,  our  Blessed  Lord  told  them,  that 
though  he  had  called  them  all  to  the  apostles  hip,  and 
well  knew  the  secret  disposition  of  every  heart  before  he 
chose  them,  they  need  not  be  surprized  that  one  among 
them  should  prove  a  traitor,  as  it  was  done,  that  the 
scripture  might  be  fulfilled,  lie  that  eatetli  bread  with  me- 
hath  lift  up  his  heel  against  me.  This  moving  declaration 
greatly  affected  the  disciples,  and  they  began  every  one 
of  them  to  say  to  their  Master,  Lord,  Is  it  IP  But  Jesus 
not  giving  them  any  decisive  answer,  John,  his  beloved 
disciple,  who  stood  nearest  him,  asked,  in  a  soft  tone  of 
voice,  who  among  the  disciples  would  be  guilty  of  so  de- 
testable a  crime?  Jesus  told  him  that  the  person  to  whom 
he  should  give  the  sop,  when  he  had  dipped  it,  should 
betray  him.  Accordingly,  as  soon  as  he  had  dipped  the 
sop  in  the  dish,  he  gave  it  to  Judas  Iscariot,  saying  to 
bini,  at  the  same  time,  what  thou  doest,  do  quickly.  The 
rest  of  the  apostles  were  totally  ignorant  of  the  signal 
which  our  Lord  had  given  to  his  beloved  disciple  John, 
and  therefore,  when  they  heard  the  words  what  thou 
doest,  do  quickly,  they  supposed  it  to  be  an  order  given 
to  Judas  (as  he  was  the  purse-bearer)  either  to  bestow 
something  on  the  poor,  or  to  provide  what  was  necessary 
for  the  celebration  of  the  ensuing  feast. 

As  soon  as  supper  was  ended,  Judas,  being  now  con- 
firmed in  his  wicked  resolution,  left  Bethany,  and  went  to 
Jerusalem.  On  his  arrival  there,  understanding  that  the 
Sanhedrim  was  met  at  the  highrpriest's  house,  he  inime- 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN'.  9 

dialcly  repaired  to  the  place,  and  offered,  upon  their 
^iviiii;  liini  a  sufficient  reward,  to  betray  his  Master,  and 
to  deliver  him  privately  into  his  hands.  This  proposition 
was  highly  pleasing  to  the  council,  who  immediately  bar- 
gained with  him  for  thirty  pieces  of  silver;  and,  when 
Judas  had  received  the  money,  lie,  from  that  moment, 
ht  an  opportunity  to  betray  his  Master  in  the  absence 
of  the  multitude,  though  he  immediately  returned,  and 
associated  himself  with  his  fellow  disciples. 

While  Judas  was  thus  bartering  for  his  Master's  blood, 
our  Blessed  Lord  was  preparing  the  rest  of  his  apostles 
for  his  departure,  and  endeavoring  to  comfort  them  with 
this  consideration:  That  his  death  would  be  a  means  of 
displaying  both  his  own,  and  his  Father's  glory,  as  it 
was  a  preliminary  to  his  resurrection  and  ascension  into 
heaven.  As,  therefore,  it  wa  decreed  that  he  must  leave 
them,  the  stronger  should  their  union  be  with  each  other; 
and  therefore  he  very  earnestly  recommended  tolliem  the 
duty  of  mutual  love,  a  duty  which  had  hitherto  been  so 
much  neglected,  that  his  enjoining  them  might  well  be 
accounted  a  new  eommandmeut,  and  what  was  to  be 
the  common  badge  and  character  of  his  true  disciples 
ever  after. 

On  the  day  preceding  that  of  the  passover,  our  Lord 
sent  Peter  and  John  to  Jerusalem,  to  prepare  all  things 
necessary  for  the  celebration  of  the  passover;  and,  lest 
they  should  want  a  convenient  room  for  that  purpose,  he 
predisposed  the  heart  of  a  certain  host  in  the  city  to  ac- 
commodate them  with  one.  Go  ye  (said  he)  into  the  city; 
and  there  shall  meet  you  a  man  bearing  a  pitcher  of 
water ;  follow  him.  And  wheresoever  he  shall  go  in,  say 
ye  to  the  good  man  of  the  house,  The  master  saith,  Where 
is  the  guest-chamber,  where  T  shall  eat  the  passover  with 
my  disciples?  Jlnd  he  will  sheiv  you  a. large  upper  room 
furnished  and  prepared;  there  make  ready  for  us.  Mark 
adv.  13,  &c. 

In  obedience  to  these  orders  Peter  and  John  immediate- 
ly repaired  to  Jerusalem,  and  having  provided  a  lamb, 
slain  it  in  the  temple,  sprinkled  its  blood  on  the  altar,  anil 
done  every  thing  else  that  was  required  of  them,  they  re- 
turned to  their  Master  at  Bethany.    Our  Lord,  perceiving 

vol.  iv.  B 


10  FROM    THE   BIRTH    OF    CHRIST, 

that  his  late  discourse  to  his  disciples  about  leaving  the 
world  and  them,  had  destroyed  all  their  hopes  of  secular 
greatness,  and  left  them  melancholy  and  disconsolate, 
stayed  the  greater  part  of  the  day  with  them  in  order  to 
raise  their  drooping  spirits.  To  effect  this  he  assured 
them  of  an  happy  immortality,  which  (as  he  told  them)  he 
was  going  before  to  prepare  for  them  in  heaven,  and 
wanted  not  power  to  do  it,  because  he  and  his  Father  (as 
to  their  divinity)  were  perfectly  the  same.  He  farther 
promised  to  send  them  the  Holy  Spirit  from  above,  which 
he  represented  as  a  comforter  to  support  them  in  their  af- 
flictions ;  as  a  teacher,  to  instruct  them  in  all  necessary 
truths;  and  as  an  advocate,  to  plead  and  defend  their 
cause  against  all  their  enemies.  He  told  them  that,  from 
these  considerations,  they  had  no  reason  to  be  dejected, 
because,  in  this  sense,  he  would  be  always  with  them ; 
because,  whatever  they  asked  in  his  name,  his  Father 
would  give  them ;  and  because,  when  he  was  gone,  they 
should  be  enabled  to  do  miracles  greater  than  what  they 
had  seen  him  do.  And  therefore,  Peace  Heave  with  you 
(says  he)  my  peace  I  give  unto  you;  not  as  the  world 
giveth,  give  I  unto  you.  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled* 
neither  let  it  be  afraid.   John  xiv.  27. 

As  soon  as  our  Blessed  Lord  had  finished  his  discourse; 
he  arose,  and,  with  his  disciples,  repaired  to  Jerusalem, 
whither  they  had  no  sooner  arrived  than  they  went  into 
the  house  which  had  been  prepared  for  them  for  cele- 
brating the  passover.  Towards  the  evening  they  sat 
down  to  table,  soon  after  which  our  Lord  began  to  renew 
the  discourse  that  one  in  the  company  should  certainly  be- 
tray him,  but  that  better  it  had  been  for  the  man  who  did 
so  if  he  had  never  been  born.  This  occasioned  so  general 
a  concern  and  sadness,  that  every  one  began  to  enquire 
for  himself,  whether  he  was  the  man?  At  length  it  came 
to  Judas's  turn,  who,  having  the  confidence  to  ask  the 
same  question,  received  a  positive  answer  that  he  was: 
whereupon  he  soon  withdrew  from  his  Master,  and 
joined  himself  to  his  enemies,  who  were  impatiently  ex- 
pecting the  performance  of  his  promise. 

The  paschal  supper  being  ended,  our  Blessed  Lord 
proceeded  to  the  institution  of  another,  in  commemora- 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  II 

tion  of  his  own  death  and  passion.  And  Jesus  took  bread, 
and  blessed  it.  and  brake  it,  and  gave  to  his  disciples,  and 
said,  Take,  eat:  This  is  my  body.  Matth.  xxvi.  20.  Ob- 
serve this  rite  in  remembrance  of  me,  who,  by  dying  for 
yon,  will  bring  you  out  of  the  spiritual  bondage,  a 
bondage  far  worse  than  the  Egyptian  under  which  your 
ancestors  groaned,  and  will  establish  you  in  the  glorious 
liberty  of  the  children  of  God.  Do  it  in  remembrance  of 
me,  who,  by  laying  down  my  life,  will  ransom  you  from 
sin,  from  death,  from  hell,  and  will  set  open  the  gates  of 
heaven  to  you  that  you  may  enter  immortality  in  triumph. 

After  having  given  the  bread  to  his  disciples,  our  Lord 
look  the  cup  of  wine,  and  having  in  like  manner,  blessed 
it,  he  gave  it  among  them,  saying,  Drink  ye  all  of  it,  for 
this  is  my  blood  of  the  New  Testament,  which  is  shed  for 
many  for  the  remission  of  sins.  Matth.  xxvi.  27,28.  All 
of  you,  and  all  who  profess  the  Gospel  in  all  ages,  must 
drink  of  this  cup,  because  it  represents  my  blood  shod 
for  the  remission  of  the  sins  of  mankind ;  and  by  which 
the  new  covenant  between  God  and  man  is  ratified.  It  is, 
therefore,  my  blood  of  the  new  covenant;  so  that  this  in- 
stitution exhibits  to  your  joyful  meditation  the  grand  basis 
of  the  hopes  of  the  children  of  men,  and  perpetuates  the 
memory  of  it,  to  the  end  of  the  world.  He  added,  I  will 
not  drink  henceforth  of  this  fruit  of  the  vine,  until  that 
day  when  I  drink  it  new  with  you,  in  my  Father's  king- 
dom.   Matth.  xxvi.  29. 

This  manifestation  of  the  Son  of  God  is  the  most  il- 
lustrious, and  most  momentous  event  that  ever  occurred, 
and  must  certainly  engage  the  attention  and  meditation  of 
every  serious  Christian.  To  his  life  and  death,  his  resur- 
rection and  ascension  into  glory,  we  are  indebted  for 
our  hopes  and  assurances  of  pardon,  for  our  peace,  and 
for  our  happiness.  To  procure  our  benefit,  he  conde- 
scended to  put  on  him  the  veil  of  flesh ;  he  poured  Divine 
instruction  from  his  lips,  and  shone  forth  an  all-perfect 
and  all  lovely  example.  For  our  benefit  he  submitted  to 
a  course  of  the  most  cruel  treatment,  to  the  agonies  of  the 
cross,  and  to  the  stroke  of  the  king  of  terrors.  For  our 
benefit  he  arose  again  with  power  and  lustre,  and  as- 
cended into  the  mansions  of  eternal  happiness.   With  the 


iH  FROM   THE   BIRTH   OF   CHRIST, 

greatest  wisdom  and  goodness,  therefore,  did  the  benefi- 
cent Jesus  institute  a  rite,  which  should  recal  his  love  to 
our  memories,  and  awake  each  pious  passion  in  our 
breast;  a  rite  which,  by  the  breaking  of  bread,  and  the 
pouring  out  of  wine,  should  represent  to  us,  in  a  striking 
manner,  that  most  signal  proof  of  the  affection  both  of  him 
.and  his  heavenly  Father,  when  his  tender  frame  was  ex- 
posed to  wounds  and  bruises,  and  when  streams  of  the 
most  precious  blood  issued  from  his  body,  for  our  sakes. 

The  more  we  reflect  on  this  instance  of  Divine  love,  the 
more  we  shall  perceive  that  there  was  a  peculiar  proprie- 
ty in  pointing  out,  by  a  particular  ordinance,  a  circum- 
stance of  such  immense  importance.  Nay,  we  may  even 
venture  to  assert,  that  in  some  dark  and  corrupt  ages, 
when  the  scriptures  were  little  known  by  the  common 
people,  and  hardly  studied  by  the  priest,  the  death  of  our 
Saviour  might  have  been  almost  forgotten,  had  not  the 
remembrance  of  it  been  renewed  by  the  celebration  of 
this  sacred  ordinance.  It  should  also  be  remembered, 
that  the  vanities  of  the  world,  the  allurements  of  sensual 
pleasure,  the  charms  of  ambition,  the  splendor  of  riches ; 
in  short,  temptations  from  worldly  objects  of  every  kind, 
have  often  too  fatal  an  influence  on  our  tempers  and  con- 
duct. They  have  a  fatal  tendency  to  draw  the  mind  aside 
to  folly,  and  to  obliterate  the  practices  of  things  Divine. 
It  was,  therefore,  a  wise,  a  kind  intention  of  our  Great 
Redeemer,  by  a  frequent  repetition  of.  the  sacramental 
feast,  to  call  back  the  wandering  heart  of  man,  to  a  sense 
of  his  duty  and  obligations  as  a  Christian. 

The  important,  the  awful  scene  was  now  approaching, 
when  the  great  work  was  to  be  finished.  The  traitor 
Judas  was  gone  to  the  chief  priests  and  elders,  for  a  band 
of  soldiers  to  apprehend  him ;  but  this  did  not  discompose 
the  Redeemer  of  mankind ;  he  took  occasion  to  meditate 
on  the  glory  that  would  accrue,  both  to  himself,  and  to 
his  Father,  from  those  sufferings,  and  mentioned  the  same 
to  his  disciples.  Now  (said  he)  is  ihe  son  of  man  glori- 
fied, and  God  is  glorified  in  him.  He  also  told  them,  that, 
having  already  done  honor  to  his  Father,  by  the  past 
actions  of  his  life,  and  being  about  to  honor  liim  yet 
farther  by  his  sufferings  and  death,  which  would  display 


TO    HIS   ASCENSION   INTO    HEAYEN.  1  •'. 

his  perfections,  particularly  his  infinite  love  to  the  human 
rate,  in  the  most  astonishing  and  amiable  light,  lie  was, 
in  his  turn,  to  receive  honor  from  his  father,  intimating, 
that  lie  was  to  be  exalted  to  the  right  hand  of  Omnipo- 
tence. 

Some  of  the  apostles,  still  imagining  that  our  Lord 
spoke  of  the  glory  of  a  temporal  kingdom,  their  ambition 
was  again  revived,  and  they  fell  unto  unseasonable  con- 
tentions about  priority,  or  who  should  have  the  office  of 
l lie  highest  trust  and  honor  about  their  Master.  This  con- 
tention was  highly  offensive  to  our  Lord,  who  reproved 
them  for  their  conduct,  and  then  adjusted  their  disputes 
by  the  same  kind  of  arguments  he  had  used  on  a  former 
occasion.  He  told  them  that  among  the  Gentiles  those 
were  reckoned  the  greatest  who  had  the  greatest  power, 
and  exercised  it  in  the  most  absolute  manner;  but  that 
their  greatness  should  be  very  different:  that  whosoever 
was  desirous  of  being  great,  or  chief  among  them,  must  be 
so  by  his  humility,  and  the  service  he  rendered  to  the 
rest,  in  imitation  of  him  who  had  been  a  servant  to  them 
all.  At  the  same  time,  to  check  their  ambition,  and  lead 
them  to  form  a  just  notion  of  his  kingdom,  he  told  them 
that  he  was  soon  to  leave  them,  and  that  whither  he  was 
going,  they  could  not  at  that  time  follow  him :  for  which 
reason,  instead  of  contending  with  one  another  which  of 
them  should  be  the  greatest,  they  would  do  well  to  be 
strongly  attached  to  each  other  in  the  happy  bonds  of 
unity  and  love. 

Peter's  mind  was  particularly  impressed  with  the  words 
which  our  Lord  had  spoken  concerning  his  going  to  a 
place  whither  his  disciples  could  not  come.  He  therefore 
asked  him,  Where  he  was  going?  To  which  Jesus  re- 
plied, Whither  I  go,  thou  canst  not  follow  me  now,  but 
thou  shalt  follow  me  afterwards. 

In  order  to  make  his  disciples  farther  humble,  watch- 
ful, and  kindly  affectionate  towards  each  other,  he  .in- 
sured them  that  Satan  was  seeking.to  ruin  them  all  by  his 
temptations;  but  in  doing  of  this  he  particularly  address- 
ed himself  to  Simon.  Simon.  Simon,  (said  he)  behold, 
Satan  hath  desired  to  have  ijou.  that  he  might  sift  you  as 
wheat:  but  I  have  prayed  for  ihee  that  thy  faith  fail  not ; 


14  FROM   THE   BIRTH   OF   CHRIST, 

and  when  thou  art  converted  strengthen  thy  brethren, 
Peter  was  greatly  displeased  that  his  Master  should 
have  singled  him  out  as  the  weakest,  for  so  he  interpreted 
Lis  praying  for  him  particularly;  and  supposing  that  he 
mentioned  Satan's  seeking  to  sift  him,  as  the  thing  which 
would  hinder  him  from  following  his  Master,  he  said  unto 
him,  Lord,  1  am  ready  to  go  with  thee  into  prison,  and  to 
death.  But  Jesus,  knowing  his  weakness,  replied,  I  tell 
thee,  Peter,  the  cock  shall  not  crow  this  day  before  that 
thou  shalt  thrice  deny  that  thou  knowest  me.  Luke 
xxii.  31. 

After  our  Blessed  Lord  had  thus  spoken  to  Peter  in 
particular,  he  turned  himself  to  the  rest  of  his  disciples, 
and  addressed  the  whole  in  words  to  this  effect:  u  When, 
I  sent  you  formerly  to  preach  the  Gospel,  I  ordered  you 
to  go  without  any  provision,  either  for  your  sustenance  or 
defence,  assuring  you,  that  though  you  would,  indeed, 
meet  with  great  opposition,  yet  Providence  would  dispose 
some  men  in  all  places  to  be  your  friends,  and  to  furnish 
you  with  all  necessaries ;  and  accordingly  you  found  that 
you  wanted  for  nothing,  but  were  wonderfully  supported, 
without  any  care  or  provision  of  your  own,  in  the  whole 
journey,  and  finished  your  work  with  success.  But  now 
the  case  is  very  different :  the  time  of  that  greatest  trial  and 
distress,  whereof  I  have  often  forewarned  you,  is  just  at 
hand;  and  you  may  now  make  all  the  provision  in  your 
power,  and  arm  yourselves  against  it,  as  much  as  you  are 
able.  I  have  finished  the  work  for  which  I  was  sent  into 
the  world ;  and  nothing  now  remains  for  me,  but  to  under- 
go the  sufferings  which  the  prophets  have  foretold  con- 
cerning me,  and  to  complete  the  wise  dispensation  of 
Providence,  by  submitting  at  last  to  a  cruel  and  igno- 
minious death." 

The  disciples,  thinking  that  their  great  Master  meant 
that  they  should  arm  themselves  in  a  literal  sense,  and 
endeavor  to  oppose  the  assaults  that  would  be  shortly 
made  upon  them  by  the  Jews,  answered,  Lord,  here  are 
two  swords.  But  the  Blessed  Jesus,  who  intended  only 
to  convey  an  idea  of  their  approaching  distress  and 
temptations,  and  to  arm  them  against  the  attacks  they 
might  meet  with,  replied,  It  is  enough;  you  need  not 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  15 

trouble  yourselves  about  any  more  weapons  of  this  nature 
for  your  defence.  Be  not  terrified  and  disconsolate,  be- 
cause 1  have  told  you  that  1  must  undergo  great  suffer- 
ings, and  be  taken  away  from  you  for  a  time.  You  have 
always  been  taught  to  believe  in  God,  who  is  £|P  Al- 
mighty Preserver  and  Governor  of  all  tilings;  and  to 
rely  on  him  for  deliverance  in  every  affliction  and  distress. 

Having  said  this,  they  finished  the  passover  with 
sinking  an  hymn,  immediately  after  which  our  Lord 
quilted  the  place,  and  retired  with  his  disciples  to  the 
Mount  of  Olives. 

On  their  arrival  at  the  place  which  was  to  be  the  scene 
of  our  Lord's  sufferings,  he  desired  them  to  fortify  them- 
selves by  prayer,  and  forewarned  them  of  the  terrible 
effects  his  sufferings  would  have  upon  them.  He  told 
them  that  what  he  should  undergo  would  make  them  all 
tremble,  agreeable  to  the  prediction  of  the  prophet 
Zechariah:  /  will  smite  the  shepherd,  and  the  sheep 
of  the  flock  shall  he  scattered  abroad.  To  strengthen  their 
faith,  however,  he  not  only  mentioned  his  own  resurrec- 
tion, but  told  them  they  should  see  him  in  Galilee,  after 
lie  was  risen  from  the  dead. 

On  our  Lord's  mentioning  the  effect  that  his  suffering* 
would  have  upon  his  disciples,  Peter  recollected  what 
had  been  said  to  him  in  particular  before  they  left  the 
house  where  they  had  been  celebrating  the  passover. 
Grieving,  therefore,  afresh,  to  find  his  Master  entertain 
such  thoughts  of  him,  and  being  now  armed  with  a 
sword,  the  vehemence  of  his  temper  urged  him  to  boast 
a  second  time  of  his  courageous  and  close  attachment  to 
his  Master.  Though  all  men  (said  he)  should  he  offended 
because  of  thee,  yet  I  never  will  be  offended.  But  Jesus, 
knowing  that  human  confidence  was  weak  and  frail, 
thought  proper  to  forewarn  him  again  of  his  danger;  and 
therefore  told  him,  that  the  cock  should  not  crow  before 
he  had  denied  him  thrice.  Peter,  however,  still  con- 
tinued to  repeat  his  confidence,  saying,  If  I  should  die 
with  thee,  I  will  not  deny  thee  in  any  wise.  And  all  the 
rest  of  the  disciples  joined  with  Peter  in  professing  their 
fixed  resolution  of  suffering  death  rather  than  they  would 
deny  their  Master, 


16  FROM    THE   BIRTH    OF    CHRIST, 

The  compassionate  Redeemer  of  mankind,  not  willing 
to  lose  one  single  moment  of  the  short  time  of  his  ministry 
that  yet  remained,  continued  to  instruct  his  disciples  in 
the  great  truths  lie  came  into  the  world  to  explain;  and 
from  (vv-  vines  that  were  growing  round  him  on  the  Mount 
of  Olives,  delivered  to  them  his  last  and  most  excellent 
discourse,  the  substance  of  which  was  to  the  following 
effect : 

"  Hitherto  the  Jewish  church  and  nation  have  been 
the  peculiar  care  of  Providence,  in  like  manner  as  a 
choice  vine,  likely  to  bring  forth  much  fruit,  is  the  special 
care  of  the  husbandman.  But  from  henceforth,  my  church, 
my  disciples,  and  the  professors  of  my  religion,  of  what 
country  or  nation  soever  they  be,  shall  become  the  people 
of  God,  and  the  peculiar  care ~  of  Divine  Providence.  I 
will  be  to  them  as  the  root  and  stock  of  a  vine,  of  which 
they  are  the  branches,  and  my  Father  the  husbandman 
and  vine-dresser.  As  in  the  management  of  a  choice 
vine,  the  skilful  vine-dresser  cuts  off  all  barren  and 
superfluous  branches,  that  they  may  not  burthen  nor 
exhaust  the  tree,  and  prunes  and  dresses  the  fruitful 
branches,  that  they  may  grow  continually  and  bear  more 
fruit;  so,  in  the  government  of  my  church,  all  useless, 
wicked,  and  incorrigible  members,  my  Father,  by  his 
judgment,  will  cut  off  and  destroy;  but  those  who  are 
sincerely  pious  and  good,  he  will,  by  the  various  and 
merciful  dispensations  of  his  Providence  towards  them, 
try,  purify,  and  amend,  that  they  may  daily  improve,  and 
be  more  and  more  abundant  in  all  good  works. 

"  Now  ye,  my  apostles,  are  such  members  as  these, 
being  purified  in  heart  and  mind,  and  prepared  for 
every  good  work,  by  your  lively  faith  in  me,  and  sincere 
resolutions  to  obey  my  commands.  Continue  steadfastly  in 
this  state,  and  then  you  may  be  sure  of  obtaining  all 
spiritual  blessings  from  me,  as  the  branches  receive  sap 
and  nourishment  from  the  vine.  But  as  a  branch,  without 
continuing  on  the  vine,  cannot  bear  any  fruit,  but  present- 
ly dries  up  and  perishes ;  so  ye,  unless  ye  continue  stead- 
fast in  your  communion  with  me,  by  a  lively  faith  and 
sincere  obedience,  so  as  to  receive  grace  ard  spiritual 
blessings,  can  never  bring  forth  any  good  fruit  of  true 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  17 

holiness  and  righteousness,  but  will  fall  into  vanity,  and 
superstition.  In  this  rase  ye  shall  be  cast  out  from  me, 
and  perish  for  ever,  even  as  a  fruitless  branch  is  cut  oil" 
from  the  vine,  left  to  wither  and  dry,  and  is,  at  last, 
burnt  in  the  file. 

,;  But  if  you  continue  in  me,  by  believing  my  words, 
and  holding  fast  that  ye  believe,  and  obeying  and 
practising  it  accordingly,  no  power,  or  malice,  either  of 
man  or  of  devils,  shall  be  able  to  hurt  you,  or  oppose 
your  doctrines.  For  though  I  be  absent  from  you  in 
body,  yet  I  will  hear  your  prayers,  and  my  Father  him- 
self also  will  hear  you ;  and  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask,  for 
the  glory  of  God,  and  the  propagation  of  my  true  religion 
in  the  world,  shall  certainly  be  granted  you.  But  above 
all  things,  carefully  remember  to  demonstrate  your  con- 
tinuance in  me,  by  abounding  in  all  good  works  of  holi- 
ness, righteousness  and  charity.  This  is  the  honor  which 
my  Father  desires  and  expects  from  you;  even  as  it  is  the 
glory  and  desire  of  a  vine-dresser  that  his  vine  should 
bring  forth  much  fruit.  And  this  is  the  honor  that  I  my- 
self expect  from  you,  that  ye  should  prove  yourselves  to 
be  really  and  indeed  my  disciples,  by  imitating  my  ex- 
ample, and  obeying  my  commands.  This  ye  are  bound 
to  do,  not  only  in  duty,  but  in  gratitude  also;  for  as  my 
Father  hath  loved  you,  so  have  I  also  loved  you ;  and  ye, 
in  like  manner,  ought  to  love  me  again,  that  you  may 
continue  to  be  loved  by  me.  But  the  way  to  express  your 
love  towards  me,  and  to  continue  to  be  loved  by  me,  is  to 
keep  my  commandments;  even  as  I,  by  keeping  my 
Father's  commandments,  have  expressed  my  love  to- 
wards him,  and  continue  to  beloved  by  him. 

"  These  things  do  I  speak  to  you  before  my  departure, 
that  the  comfort  ye  have  had  in  my  presence  may  be  con- 
tinued in  my  absence,  and  even  increased  to  the  coming 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  it  will  be  upon  the  condition  that  I 
have  so  often  repeated  to  you,  namely,  that  you  keep  my 
commandments.  And  the  principal  of  these  command- 
ments is,  that  ye  love  one  another;  not  after  the  common 
fashion  of  the  world,  but  in  such  a  manner  as  I  have 
loved  you ;  nor  can  you  be  ignorant  of  what  sort  of  love 
that  is,  when  I  tell  you  that  I  am  now  going  to  lay  down 

vol.  iv.  C 


1&  FROM   THE   BIRTH   OF   CHRIST, 

my  life  for  you.  This  is  the  highest  instance  in  which  ii 
is  possible  for  any  person  to  express  his  love  towards  his 
greatest  friends  and  benefactors;  but  this  I  am  now  going 
to  do  for  you,  and  for  all  mankind.  I  do  not  consider  you 
as  my  benefactors,  but  as  my  friends,  upon  this  easy  con- 
dition only,  that  ye  keep  my  commandments.  I  might, 
indeed,  justly  call  you  servants,  considering  the  great 
difference  between  me  and  you,  and  the  obligation  ye 
have  to  obey  my  commandments ;  but  I  have  not  treated 
you  as  servants,  who  are  not  admitted  into  their  master's 
counsels,  but  as  friends,  revealing  to  you  the  whole  will 
of  my  Father,  with  all  freedom  and  plainness.  I  have 
behaved  myself  to  you  as  to  the  nearest  friends.  Not  that 
you  first  obliged  me,  or  did  any  acts  of  kindness  for  me ; 
but  I  have  freely,  and  of  my  own  good  pleasure,  chosen 
you  to  be  my  apostles,  and  the  preachers  of  my  Gospel, 
that  you  may  go  and  declare  the  will  of  God  to  the  world, 
and  bring  forth  much  and  lasting  fruit  in  the  conversion 
of  men  to  the  profession  and  practice  of  true  religion  and 
virtue.  In  the  performance  of  this  work,  whatsoever  ye 
shall  ask  of  my  Father  in  my  name,  in  order  to  enable 
you  to  perform  it  effectually,  and  with  full  success,  shall 
certainly  be  granted  unto  you.  "  Now  all  these  things 
which  1  have  spoken  unto  you  concerning  the  greatness  of 
my  love  towards  you,  in  chusing  you  to  be  my  apostles,  in 
revealing  unto  you  the  whole  will  of  my  Father,  and  in 
laying  down  my  life  for  you,  I  have  urged  and  inculcated, 
as  I  at  first  told  you,  chiefly  for  this  reason,  that  ye  may 
learn,  after  my  example,  to  love  one  another.  The  world, 
indeed,  you  must  expect  will  hate  and  persecute  you  on 
my  account.  But  at  this  you  ought  not  to  be  surprized  ov 
terrified,  knowing  that  it  is  no  worse  treatment  than  I 
myself  have  met  with  before  you.  Be  not,  therefore,  sur- 
prized when  ye  meet  with  opposition ;  nor  think  to  find 
better  treatment  in  the  world  than  I  have  done.  Remem- 
ber what  1  have  already  told  you,  that  the  disciple  is  not 
above  his  master;  nor  is  he  that  is  sent  greater  than  he 
that  sent  him.  If  men  had  generally  and  readily  em- 
braced my  doctrine,  you  might,  indeed,  have  had  some 
reason  to  expect  that  they  would  willingly  have  received 
yours  also.   But  since  I  myself  have  suffered  great  in- 


TO   His   ASCENSION    INTO   lll.A\r.\.  1<J 

dignities  and  persecutions  from  wicked  and  perverse,  from 
obstinate  and  incorrigible  men,  only  for  opposing  their 
vices,  it  is  highly  reasonable  thai  you  should  expect  to 
undergo  the  like  treatment  upon  the  like  account.  In  all 
your  sufferings,  however,  you  will  have  this  comfortable 
consideration  to  support  you,  that  the  justice  of  your  own 
cause,  and  the  injustice  of  your  persecutors  will,  by  those 
means,  most  evidently  appear;  seeing  ye  are  persecuted 
only  for  professing  and  preaching,  in  my  name,  the 
doctrine  of  true  religion  and  virtue;  and  they  persecute, 
you  only  because  they  know  not  God,  and  out  of  mere 
malice,  will  not  bear  to  be  instructed  in  his  commands. 

'•  But  notwithstanding  all  the  opposition  that  wicked 
and  incorrigible  men  will  make  against  my  doctrine, 
there  will  not  be  wanting  powerful  promoters  of  it,  who 
shall  effectually  overcome  all  opposition.  For  the  com- 
forter, whom  I  said  I  would  send  you  from  heaven,  even 
i  hat  spirit  of  truth y  which  cometh  forth,  and  is  sent  from 
the  Father,  shall,  when  he  cometh,  with  wonderful  effi- 
cacy, bear  testimony  to  the  truth  of  my  doctrine,  and 
cause  it  to  be  spread  through  the  world  with  incredible 
success.  Nay,  and  ye  yourselves  also,  though  now  so 
weak,  fearful  and  doubting,  shall  then  very  powerfully 
bear  testimony  to  the  truth  of  all  the  things  whereof  ye, 
having  been  all  along  with  me,  have  been  eye-witnesses 
from  the  beginning. 

"  Thus  have  I  warned  you  before-hand  of  the  opposi- 
tion and  persecution  ye  must  expect  to  meet  with  in  the 
world,  that  when  it  cometh,  ye  may  not  be  surprized  and 
terrified,  so  as  to  be  discouraged  thereby  from  persevering 
in  the  performance  of  your  duty.  Ye  must  expect,  par- 
ticularly, that  the  chief  priests,  and  rulers  of  the  Jews, 
men  of  great  hypocrisy  and  superstition,  zealous  for  their 
ceremonies  and  ritual  traditions,  but  careless  to  know  and 
obey  the  will  of  God  in  matters  of  great  and  eternal  obli- 
gation, and  invincibly  prejudiced  against  the  spiritual 
holiness  and  purity  of  my  doctrine  :  These  you  must  ex- 
pect will  excommunicate  you  as  apostates,  and  cast  you 
out  of  all  their  societies,  as  the  vilest  of  people.  Nay,  to 
such  an  absurd  height  of  malice  will  their  superstition 
carry  them,  that  they  will  even  fai^y  they  promote  the 


SO  FROM    THE   BIRTH    OF    CHRIST, 

service  of  God.  and  the  cause  of  religion,  when  they  most 
barbarously  murder  and  destroy  you.  But  I  have  warned 
you  of  all  this  before-hand,  that  ye  may  prepare  and 
fortify  yourselves  against  it;  and  that  when  it  cometh  to 
pass,  ye  may  remember,  I  foretold  it  to  you,  and  your 
faith  in  me  may  thereby  be  strengthened. 

"  Being  now  about  to  leave  you,  I  think  it  necessary 
to  mention  what  things  arc  likely  to  come  upon  you  after 
my  departure,  and  also,  at  the  same  time,  to  inform  you 
what  comfort  you  may  expect  to  support  you  under 
them.  You  may  be  assured  that  great  temptations  will 
befal  you  in  my  absence.  This,  indeed,  ye  readily  ap- 
prehend, and  suffer  your  hearts  to  be  overwhelmed  with 
grief  at  the  thoughts  of  it.  But  the  comfortable  part  of 
my  discourse,  namely,  that  my  departure  is  only  in  order 
to  return  to  him  that  sent  me,  and  that  I  will  soon  after 
send  you  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  other  advantages  that 
will  thence  result  to  you,  are  neither  considered,  nor  are 
you  solicitous  about  them.  Nevertheless,  if  ye  will  listen, 
I  will  plainly  tell  you  the  truth.  Ye  are  so  far  from 
having  reason  to  be  dejected  at  the  thoughts  of  my  de- 
parture, that  on  the  contrary  it  is  really  profitable  and 
expedient  for  you  that  I  should  now  go ;  for  such  is  the 
order  and  dispensation  of  Providence  towards  you,  and 
the  appointment  of  my  Father's  eternal  and  all-wise 
counsel,  that  before  I  go  and  take  possession  of  my  king- 
dom, the  Comforter,  which  is  the  Holy  Spirit,  cannot  be 
sent  unto  you ;  but  when  I  am  departed  from  you,  and 
have  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  committed  unto  me, 
then  I  will  send  him  unto  you.  And  when  he  cometh  he 
shall  abundantly  support  and  comfort  you  under  all 
your  troubles  :  shall  powerfully  plead  your  cause  against 
your  adversaries  ;  and  shall,  with  wonderful  effica- 
cy, cause  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  to  spread  and  pre- 
vail in  the  world  against  all  opposition.  He  shall  par- 
ticularly, and  in  a  most  extraordinary  and  convincing 
manner,  make  the  world  sensible  of  the  greatness  and 
heinousness  of  a  sin  of  which  they  were  not  aware;  of 
the  righteousness  and  justice  of  a  dispensation  they  did 
not  understand,  and  of  the  execution  of  a  judgment  they 
did  not  expect.   First,  by  wonderfully  attesting  and  con- 


TO    111S    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  21 

firming  the  truth  of  my  doctrine,  by  the  gift  of  tongues, 
and  other  wonderful  signs,  he  shall  convince  the  world 
of  the  greatness  and  heinousness  of  their  sins,  in  disbe- 
lieving and  rejecting  me.  Secondly,  by  demonstrating, 
that  my  departure  out  of  the  world  was  not  perishing 
and  dying,  but  only  a  returning  to  my  Father,  in  order 
to  be  invested  with  all  power  both  in  heaven  and  earth, 
lie  shall  convince  the  world  of  the  righteousness  and 
justice  of  my  cause,  and  of  the  excellency  of  that  dispen- 
sation, which  I  preach  and  declare  to  mankind.  Lastly, 
by  mightily  destroying  the  power  of  the  devil  and  the 
dominion  of  sin,  and  propagating  the  doctrine  of  true  re- 
ligion in  the  world,  with  wonderful  efficacy  and  success, 
he  shall  convince  men  of  my  power  and  authority  to  ex- 
ecute judgment  upon  mine  enemies  for  the  establishment 
of  my  kingdom  upon  earth. 

(i  There  are  yet  many  other  things  hereafter  to  be  done 
in  relation  to  the  settling  and  establishing  of  my  church, 
which,  if  it  were  proper,  I  would  now  acquaint  you  with, 
but  ye  are  not  yet  prepared  to  understand  and  receive 
them.  Howbeit,  when  the  spirit  of  truth,  whom  I 
promised  you,  is  come,  he  shall  enlarge  your  understand- 
ings, remove  your  prejudices,  and  instruct  you  in  all 
necessary  and  Divine  truths,  to  enable  you  to  go  through 
that  great  work  which  I  have  begun  in  person,  and 
which  I  will  carry  on  by  your  ministry,  for  the  spirit  is 
not  to  begin  any  new  work,  or  to  found  any  new  doctrine, 
of  himself.  But  as  I  have  taught  and  will  teach  you  only 
in  my  Fathers  name,  so  the  spirit  shall  instruct  you  only 
in  mine  and  my  Father's  will,  and  in  things  necessary 
to  promote  and  carry  on  the  same  design.  Every  thing 
that  he  does  shall  be  only  in  order  to  manifest  my  glory, 
and  establish  my  religion  in  the  world :  even  as  every 
thing  that  I  have  done  has  been  only  to  manifest  my 
Fathers  glory,  and  reveal  his  will  to  mankind.  For  as 
all  that  I  have  taught  is  only  what  I  received  from  my 
Father,  so  all  that  the  spirit  shall  teach  you  is  only  what 
he  receives  from  me.  Whatsoever,  I  say,  the  spirit  shall 
teach  you,  is  only  what  he  receives  from  me;  for  receiving 
from  my  Father,  I  call  receiving  from  me,  and  teaching 
his  will,  is  teaching  mine;  seeing  all  things  that  the 


%%  FROM   THE   BIRTH   OF    CHRIST, 

Father  hath  are  common  to  me,  and  all  power  and  do- 
minion by  him  committed  to  me.  And  now  be  careful  to 
remember  what  matter  for  comfort  I  have  given  you,  and 
support  yourselves  with  it  under  the  approaching  distress. 
It  is  now,  indeed,  but  a  very  little  while  before  1  shall 
be  taken  away  from  you ;  nevertheless  let  not  this  cause 
you  to  despair;  for,  after  I  am  departed,  it  will  be  also  a 
little  while  before  I  appear  to  you  again ;  forasmuch  as 
my  being  taken  away  from  you,  is  not  perishing,  but  only 
returning  to  my  Father.7' 

The  disciples  of  our  Blessed  Lord,  not  being  able  to 
comprehend  the  meaning  of  the  last  part  of  his  discourse, 
were  greatly  perplexed  in  their  minds ;  and  enquired  of 
each  other,  what  he  could  mean  by  telling  them,  that  in 
a  very  little  time  he  should  be  taken  from  them,  and  that 
in  a  very  little  time  more  they  should  see  him  again ; 
and  that  because  he  went  to  his  Father.  What  is  this 
that  he  saith  unto  us?  A  little  while,  and  ye  shall 
not  see  me;  and  again  a  little  while,  and  ye  shall  see  me; 
and,  Because  I  go  to  the  Father?  They  said,  therefore, 
what  is  this  that  he  saith,  A  little  while f  We  cannot  tell 
what  he  saith.   John  xvi.  17,  18. 

Our  Blessed  Lord,  observing  the  perplexity  of  his  dis- 
ciples, and  knowing  that  they  were  desirous  of  asking 
him  for  an  explanation,  readily  saved  them  that  trouble, 
by  addressing  himself  to  them  in  words  to  this  effect : 
"  Why  are  ye  thus  disturbed  and  perplexed  about  what 
I  have  told  you?  Is  it  a  thing  so  very  hard  to  be  under- 
stood, that  I  said,  within  a  very  little  time  I  should  be 
taken  away  from  you,  and  that  within  a  very  little  time 
more  I  should  appear  to  you  again?  Verily,  verily,  I  tell 
you  I  must  very  soon  depart  out  of  this  world :  then  the 
world,  who  are  your  enemies,  will  rejoice  and  triumph 
over  you,  as  if  they  had  destroyed  me,  and  wholly  sup- 
pressed you;  and  ye,  for  your  parts,  will  be  overwhelm- 
ed with  grief  and  sorrow.  But  within  a  short  time  I  will 
return  to  you  again ;  and  then  your  sorrow  shall  be  turned 
into  exceeding  great  joy.  Even  as  a  woman,  when  she 
is  in  labor,  hath  great  pain  and  sorrow  for  the  present, 
but  as  soon  as  she  is  delivered  forgets  all  her  sufferings, 
and  rejoices  greatly  at  the  birth  of  her  son  5  so  ye,  while 


TO   HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  2;> 

ye  are  under  the  immediate  apprehension  of  my  depar- 
ture from  you.  and  during  that  time  of  distress  and 
temptation  which  shall  befal  you  iu  my  absence,  will  he 
full  of  sorrow  and  anxiety  of  mind:  hut  when  1  return  to 
you  again,  then  ye  shall  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable 
and  full  of  glory,  and  no  power  or  malice  of  man  shall 
ever  be  able  to  take  from  you  any  more  the  eause  or  con- 
tinuance of  it.  But  though  I  shall  return  to  you  again, 
and  your  hearts  will  thereupon  be  filled  with  inexpressi- 
ble joy,  and  which  never  shall  be  taken  from  you  any 
more:  yet  there  will  be  no  necessity  that  I  should  then 
continue  long  with  you  in  person,  to  instruct  you  upon 
every  occasion,  as  I  have  now  done  with  my  own  mouth. 
For  besides  that  the  Holy  Spirit  will  be  sent  to  instruct 
you  in  all  things  necessary,  my  Father  himself  also  will 
hear  your  petitions,  and  be  ready  to  grant  you  whatso- 
ever you  shall  desire  of  him  in  my  name,  and  as  being 
my  disciples.  Hitherto  ye  have  asked  nothing  of  God  iu 
my  name;  but  from  henceforth  put  up  your  petitions  in 
my  name  ;  and  whatsoever  ye  shall  so  ask  for  the  glory  of 
God,  and  in  order  to  enable  you  to  go  through  the  work 
of  your  ministry  successfully,  shall  certainly  be  granted 
you;  that  your  joy,  which  will  begin  at  my  appearing  to 
you  again,  after  my  death,  may  be  completed  by  the 
wonderful  success  and  efficacy  of  your  own  ministry. 

"  These  things  I  have  told  you,  at  present,  imperfectly 
and  obscurely,  according  as  your  capacities  are  able  to 
bear  them.  But  the  time  is  coming,  when  I  will  speak  to 
you  with  more  openness,  freedom,  and  plainness,  the 
whole,  will  of  my  Father  concerning  the  nature  and  es- 
tablishment of  my  kingdom,  and  what  things  and  in  what 
manner  ye  ought  to  pray  unto  him  for.  After  that  time 
ye  shall,  with  firm  assurance,  pray  to  my  Father  in  my 
name  for  what  ye  waut.  And  I  need  not  tell  you,  that  I 
will  intercede  with  the  Father  on  your  behalf;  for  besides 
the  love  he  has  borne  for  me,  and  the  power  and  authori- 
ty my  prayers  have  with  him,  he  has  moreover  of  him- 
self a  great  love  for  you,  and  a  ready  disposition  to  grant 
your  prayers,  because  ye  are  become  grateful  and  accept- 
able to  him,  by  your  love  towards  me,  which  ye  hare 


21  FROM   THE   BIRTH   OF   CHRIST, 

shown  in  embracing  willingly  that  holy  doctrine  which  I 
have  revealed  to  you  from  him. 

"  To  conclude :  the  sum  of  what  I  have  told  you,  is 
briefly  and  plainly  this.  I  came  from  God  my  Father, 
and  have  lived  upon  earth  in  the  state  of  frail  and  mortal 
man,  that  I  might  reveal  to  mankind  the  will  of  my 
heavenly  Father,  and  the  way  to  attain  eternal  life  and 
happiness ;  and  now,  having  finished  this  great  work,  I 
am  about  to  leave  this  world,  and  return  again  to  my 
Father,  from  whence  I  at  first  came." 

From  these  last  words,  which  were  more  plain  and 
express  than  any  our  Lord  had  spoken  before,  his  disci- 
ples clearly  perceived  that  the  departure  he  had  so  often 
mentioned,  was  no  other  than  his  actually  going  out  of 
this  world ;  and  therefore  they  made  him  a  reply  to  this 
effect:  *'•'  Now,  Lord,  you  speak  plainly,  and  without 
any  figure;  so  that  we  apprehend  fully  what  you  mean. 
And  now  that  our  curiosity  is  satisfied,  you  have  likewise 
greatly  confirmed  our  faith,  having  given  us  a  certain 
token  whereby  we  are  assured  that  you  know  all  things, 
even  the  hearts  and  secret  thoughts  of  men,  since  you 
have  answered  us  a  question  which  gave  us  great  per- 
plexity, and  we  were  desirous  to  ask  your  opinion,  but 
were  afraid ;  but  now  we  are  convinced  that  you  are  en- 
dued with  a  truly  Divine  power,  and  did,  indeed,  come 
forth  from  God." 

The  answer  our  Blessed  Lord  made  his  disciples  in 
consequence  of  these  acknowledgments,  was  to  the  follow- 
ing effect:  "  And  do  you  now  at  length  firmly  believe  in 
me?  Are  you  resolved  to  continue  steadfast  in  this  faith? 
Do  you  think  yourselves  able  to  persevere  immovably  in 
the  profession  of  it?  Be  not  confident  of  your  own  strength ; 
but  pray  that  ye  may  be  delivered  from  temptation  in  the 
time  of  distress,  such  as  will  come  upon  you  much  sooner 
than  ye  expect :  For  I  tell  you,  that  ye  will  all  of  ye 
within  a  few  hours  utterly  forsake  me,  and  fly  in  hopes 
to  secure  yourselves,  leaving  me  alone.  And  yet  I  should 
not  say  alone,  since  my  Father  is  with  me,  who  is  more 
than  all.  I  have,  therefore,  acquainted  you  with  these 
things  before-hand,  that  your  minds  may  be  furnished 
with  sufficient  matter  of  comfort  and  strength  to  bear  up 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION     INTO    HEAVEN".  25 

under  all  temptations,  from  the  consideration  of  my 
having  foretold  not  only  what  distress  will  befal  you, 
but  also  how  ye  shall  terminate  your  victory  over  all 
your  enemies.  You  must,  indeed,  expect  to  meet  with 
much  affliction,  hut  let  not  this  discourage  you.  I  have 
subdued  the  world:  follow  my  example,  and  partake  of 
my  reward.  These  filings  I  have  spoken  unto  you,  that  in 
me  \\t'  might  hare  peace.  In  the  ivorld  ye  shall  have  tribu- 
lation, hut  he  of  good  cheer;  I  have  overcome  the  world. 
John  xvi.  33. 

With  these  words  our  Blessed  Lord  finished  his  dis- 
(iiiir-e:  immediately  after  which  he  lift  up  his  eyes  to 
heaven,  and.  in  the  most  devout  manner,  prayed  to  his 
heavenly  Father,  not  only  in  behalf  of  himself,  but  like- 
wise his  apostles,  and  all  succeeding  Christians.  This 
most  beautiful  and  beneficent  prayer  is  contained  in  the 
xviith  chapter  of  the  Gospel  according  to  St.  John:  and 
the  whole  of  it  may  be  thus  paraphrased : 

"  Oh  Almighty  Father,  now  the  time  of  my  suffering, 
for  which  I  was  sent  into  the  world,  is  arrived.  I  most 
earnestly  intreat  thee  to  support  me  under  it,  and  make 
me  triumph  over  death  by  a  glorious  resurrection,  and 
ascension  into  heaven ;  that  by  these  means  the  glory  may 
redound  to  thee,  and  cause  thy  will  to  be  believed  and 
obeyed  through  all  the  world,  to  the  salvation  of  mankind, 
according  to  the  full  intent  of  that  office  and  power  with 
which  thou  didst  originally  invest  me.  In  order  to  the 
bringing  about  this  great  design  of  salvation,  I  have  de- 
clared thy  will  to  mankind.  I  have  published  thy  pre- 
cepts, and  discharged  the  great  mission  entrusted  to  me. 
1  have  preached  the  doctrine  of  repentance  to  salvation, 
and  have  finished  the  work  which  thou  sentest  me  to  do, 
to  the  glory  of  thy  name  upon  earth.  And  now,  to  com- 
plete the  great  design,  do  thou,  O  Almighty  Father, 
likewise  glorify  me  with  thine  own  self.  Support  me 
under  my  sufferings;  let  me  prevail  and  triumph  over 
death,  by  a  glorious  resurrection;  and  exalt  me  again  to 
the  same  glory  in  heaven,  which  I  had  with  thee  before 
the  creation  of  the  universe.  I  have  manifested  thy  will 
to  the  disciples,  the  men  that  thou  gavest  me  out  of  the 
world.    To  those   persons  thou  didst,  in   thine  infinite 

vol.  iv.         I) 


26  FROM   THE   BIRTH   OF    CHRIST, 

wisdom,  appoint,  that  thy  truth  should  be  made  known: 
therefore,  to  them  have  I  revealed  the  mysteries  of  thy 
kingdom,  the  precepts  of  thy  Gospel,  and  the  doctrine  of 
thy  salvation.  And  this  doctrine  they  have  willingly  em- 
braced, steadfastly  adhered  to,  and  sincerely  obeyed. 
They  are  fully  satisfied  and  convinced  that  what  I 
taught  them  as  from  thee  was  really  a  Divine  doctrine, 
taught  by  thine  immediate  appointment  and  command: 
and  that  I  did  not  preach  auy  human  invention  of  men, 
but  was  really  sent  by  thy  Divine  authority  and  com- 
mission. 

"  For  these  persons,  therefore,  I  now  pray,  that  as 
thou  hast  begun  the  work  of  their  salvation,  by  my 
preaching  and  revealing  to  them  thy  will,  while  I  have 
been  present  with  them  here  upon  earth ;  so  also  that  thou 
wouldst  preserve  them  when  I  am  departed  from  this 
world,  and  complete  the  work  of  their  salvation  by  my 
resurrection  and  ascension  into  heaven,  after  my  death. 
1  do  not  pray  for  the  unbelieving  impenitent  world,  but 
for  those  who  have  embraced  that  most  holy  doctrine, 
which  thou  hast  taught  them  through  me  by  my  preach- 
ing; for  those  who  have  glorified,  and  will  glorify  thy 
name,  by  their  ministry,  and  who,  consequently,  are  to  be 
esteemed  as  thine  own  in  common  with  me. 

"  I  am  now  about  to  leave  the  world,  in  order  to  return 
to  thee;  but  these  my  disciples,  who  continue  after  me,  I 
recommend  to  thy  Divine  protection,  when  I  am  gone: 
endue  them  with  powers  to  persevere  in  preaching  and 
practising  the  truth,  and  to  deliver  the  same  holy  doc- 
trines which  I  have  given  to  them,  that  so  they  may  re- 
main inseparably  united  to  me,  as  I  am  to  thee.  So  long 
as  I  have  been  with  them  in  the  world,  I  have  watched 
over  them,  and  kept  them  from  falling  away,  both  by 
example,  preaching,  and  continual  admonition,  according 
to  the  power  and  authority,  which  thou  didst  commit  to 
mo ;  nor  has  one  of  my  apostles  miscarried  under  my  care, 
except  that  perfidious  traitor,  who,  as  the  scripture  fore- 
told, lias  ungratefully  conspired  with  my  enemies  to  de- 
stroy me,  and  will  be  punished  according  to  his  deserts. 
While  I  have  continued  with  my  disciples,  I  have  watch- 
ed over  them  and  preserved  them  under  mine  own  eye; 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  ~7 

but  now,  as  1  am  going  to  leave  the  world,  T  beseech  thee 
to  keep  ami  assist  them  by  thy  good  spirit;  and  let  the 
expectation  of  their  continuing  under  thy  special  care  and 
protection,  be  their  comfort  and  support  in  my  absence. 
The  world,  indeed,  will  persecute  and  hate  them, 
on  this  aceouut,  as  my  doctrine  is  repugnant  to  the 
Inst  and  affections,  the  passions,  designs,  and  inclinations 
of  worldly  men;  it  must  necessarily  be  that  the  vicious 
and  incorrigible  world  will  oppose  and  persecute  them, 
as  it  has  before  persecuted  me.  I  beseech  thee,  therefore, 
take  them  under  thy  particular  care,  to  support  them 
against  the  violence  and  oppression  of  an  evil  world.  I 
do  not  desire  that  thou  shouldst  take  them  out  of  the 
world,  but  preserve  them  in  it  to  be  instruments  of  thy 
word,  thy  glory,  and  to  be  teachers  of  thy  truth ;  nor  suf- 
fer them  to  be  either  destroyed  by  the  malice  and  Vio- 
lence, or  corrupted  by  the  evil  custom  and  opinions,  of  a 
perverse  and  wicked  generation.  They  are  of  a  temper 
and  spirit  very  different  from  the  current  affection  and 
common  dispositions  of  the  world,  according  to  the  exam- 
ple of  purity  which  I  have  set  before  them.  Do  thou  pre- 
serve and  increase  in  them  that  moderation  and  candor  of 
mind,  cause  them  to  be  thoroughly  affected  and  impressed 
with  that  true  doctrine  so  frequently  recommended  to  them 
from  my  mouth,  so  as  to  express  it  visibly  in  their  lives 
and  practice,  and  to  promote  it  zealously  in  their  preach- 
ing, that  they  may,  both  by  word  and  good  example,  be- 
come worthy  and  successful  ministers  of  my  gospel. 

u  As  thou  hast  sent  me  into  the  world  to  reveal  thy 
will  to  mankind,  so  send  I  these  my  apostles  to  continue 
preaching  the  same  doctrine  begun  by  me.  And  the  prin- 
cipal design  of  my  exemplary  life,  constant  teaching,  and 
now  voluntarily  offering;  myself  to  death  for  it  is,  to 
sanctify  and  enable  them  to  preach  with  success  and  effi- 
cacy for  the  salvation  of  men.  Neither  pray  I  for  these 
my  apostles  only,  but  for  all  others,  who  shall,  by  their 
preaching  and  practice,  promote  thy  true  religion ;  and  be- 
ing converted  from  the  world,  may,  by  their  sincere  en- 
deavors, go  on  to  reform  others,  convincing  the  Avorld  of 
the  excellency  of  their  religion,  and  consequently  en- 
forcing men  to  acknowledge  the  truth  and  Divine  author) 


28  FROM   THE    BIRTH    OP    CHRIST, 

ty  thereof.  For  promoting  which  great  end,  I  have  com- 
municated to  my  apostles  the  same  power  and  authority  of 
doing  mighty  works  for  the  confirmation  of  their  doctrine, 
and  the  evidence  of  thy  truth,  as  thou  didst  communicate 
to  me;  that  so  I  working  in  them,  as  thou  hast  done  in  me, 
and  thus  confirming  with  great  efficacy  and  demonstration 
of  the  spirit,  they  may  establish  the  same  doctrine  which  1 
published  in  person,  the  world  may,  by  this  evidence,  be 
convinced  that  I  was  really  sent  by  thee,  and  that  my  dis- 
ciples act  by  the  same  Divine  commission. 

"  Holy  and  Almighty  Father,  all  those  whom  thou  hast 
thus  given  me,  who  have  heartily  embraced  my  doctrine, 
and  sincerely  obeyed  it,  I  desire  that  thou  wouldst  make 
them  partakers  of  the  same  happiness  with  myself,  and 
exalt  them  to  behold  the  incomprehensible  glory  where- 
with thou  didst  originally  invest  me,  in  thy  eternal  love, 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world.  The  generality  of 
mortals,  O  righteous  Father,  have  not  known  thee,  nor 
been  willing  to  embrace  and  obey  the  revelation  of  thy 
will.  But  I  have  known  thy  will,  and  have  made  it 
known  to  my  disciples,  men  of  simplicity  and  honesty ; 
and  they  have  embraced  and  obeyed  it.  And  I  will  make 
it  known  to  them,  more  and  more,  that  they  may  grow  up 
and  improve  in  faith,  in  holiness,  and  in  all  good  works, 
so  as  finally  to  arrive,  and  cause  others  to  arrive,  at  that 
eternal  happiness,  which  is  the  effect  of  thy  infinite  love 
towards  me,  and  through  me  towards  them." 

After  our  Lord  had  finished  this  pious  and  benevolent 
prayer,  he  left  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and,  accompanied  by 
his  disciples,  crossed  the  brook  Cedron,  and  proceeded 
to  a  place  called  Gethsemane,  where  was  a  garden  well 
known  to  Judas,  because  thither  our  Lord  and  his 
apostles  used  frequently  to  repair,  both  for  retirement  and 
devotion. 

When  our  Lord  approached  the  entrance  of  the  garden 
of  Crethseniane,  he  ordered  his  disciples  to  sit  down  till  he 
should  retire  to  pray,  taking  with  him  only  Peter,  James 
and  John,  those  three  select  disciples  whom  he  had  before 
chosen  to  be  witnesses  of  his  transfiguration. 

The  sufferings  our  Blessed  Lord  was  now  on  the  point 
of  undergoing  were  so  great,  that  the  very  prospect  of 


TO    HIS    ASCT.NMON    1MH    HEAVEN.  B| 

then  greatly  affected  him,  and  made  bin  express  himself 
in  (his  doleful  exclamation  :  .My  sou/  is  exceeding  sorrow^ 

j'nl.  even  unto  death,  tarry  ye  here,  and  Wtttch.  On  this 
great  occasion  lie  sustained  those  grievous  sorrows  in  his 
soul,  by  which,  as  well  as  hy  dying  on  the  cross,  he  lie- 
came  a  sin-oilering,  and  accomplished  the  redemption 
of  mankind. 

Our  Blessed  Lord  now  left  his  three  favorite  disciples, 
and  retiring  a  small  distance  from  them,  prostrated  him- 
self on  the  ground,  beseeching  of  God,  that  if  it  was  pos- 
sible (as  all  things  were  possible  to  him)  he  might  be  ex- 
cused from  drinking  the  bitter  potion ;  but  at  the  same 
time  expressed  his  entire  submission  to  the  Divine  will. 
O  my  Father  (said  he)  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass 
from  me;  nevertheless  not  as  1  icill,  but  as  thou  icilt. 
Mattb.  xxvi.  39.  Having  prayed  to  this  effect,  he  re- 
turned to  his  apostles,  but  finding  them  asleep  he  awoke 
them,  and,  in  a  reproof  full  of  love,  reminded  Peter  more 
especially  of  his  late  promises,  and  present  neglect  of 
him,  when  he  most  stood  in  need  of  his  comfort  and  as- 
sistance. What  (said  he)  could  ye  not  watch  with  me  one 
hour?  Thou,  who  so  lately  didst  boast  of  thy  courage 
and  constancy  in  my  service;  canst  thou  so  soon  forget  thy 
master?  He  then  advised  Peter  to  keep  himself  awake, 
for  fear  of  the  temptations  that  were  busy  about  him,  and 
added  this  compassionate  observation,  that  though  the 
spirit  was  willing)  and  ready  enough  to  make  good  reso- 
lutions, yet  the  flesh  was  weaJc,  and  unable,  very  often,  to 
put  them  in  execution. 

Thrice  did  our  Blessed  Lord  retire,  and  pray  in  like 
manner  to  his  heavenly  Father;  but,  in  the  last  time,  his 
sense  of  God's  indignation  agaiust  the  sins  of  mankind, 
and  the  dismal  prospect  of  what  he  was  to  suffer  in  the 
expiation  of  them,  made  his  prayer  more  vehement, 
and  his  agonies  so  violent,  that  the  sweat  which  fell  from 
his  body  was  like  large  drops  of  blood :  and  human  na- 
ture must  have  beeu  exhausted  under  it,  had  not  an  angel 
from  heaven  been  immediately  sent  to  strengthen  and  sup- 
port him. 

After  receiving  this  Divine  refreshment,  our  Blessed 
Lord  returned  the  third  time  to  his  apostles :  but  finding 


30  FROM   THE   BIRTH    OF    CHRIST, 

them  still  in  the  same  sleepy  condition,  he  told  them, 
that  they  might  sleep  on  as  long  as  they  pleased,  because 
he  had  no  farther  occasion  for  their  assistance ;  but  that 
it  would  not  be  improper  for  them  to  arise,  because  the 
traitor,  who  was  to  deliver  him  up  to  his  enemies,  was 
just  at  hand.  Sleep  on  now  (said  he)  and  take  your  rest; 
behold,  the  hour  is  at  hand,  and  the  Son  of  man  is  betray- 
ed into  the  hands  of  sinners.  Rise,  let  us  be  going;  he  is 
at  hand  that  doth  betray  me.  Matth.  xxvi.  45,  16.  The 
event  will  soon  be  over,  which  causes  your  sorrow :  I  am 
betrayed,  and  ready  to  be  delivered  up  to  death. 

Our  Blessed  Lord  had  no  sooner  spoke  these  words, 
than  the  perfidious  Judas,  accompanied  by  a  band  of 
soldiers  and  officers,  together  with  some  of  the  chief 
priests,  Pharisees,  and  elders  of  the  people,  all  armed 
with  swords  and  staves,  entered  the  garden  in  order  to 
apprehend  him.  To  prevent  all  mistakes,  the  traitor  Ju- 
das had  given  them  a  sign,  that  the  person,  whom  he 
should  kiss,  was  the  man  they  were  to  apprehend;  and 
therefore,  approaching  our  Lord  with  an  address  of 
seeming  civility,  he  saluted  him,  and  in  return,  received 
a  reproof  for  his  perfidy,  but  in  such  gentle  and  easy 
terms  as  spake  a  mind  perfectly  calm  and  undisturbed. 
Judas,  (said  our  Lord)  betrayest  thou  the  Son  of  man 
with  a  kiss?  Our  Lord  then  advanced  forward,  and,  with 
an  air  of  majesty,  demanded  of  the  soldiers  whom  they 
wanted?  They  told  him  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  He  replied, 
I.  am  he;  thereby  intimating  that  he  was  willing  to  put 
himself  into  their  hands.  At  the  same  time,  to  shew  them 
that  they  could  not  apprehend  him  without  his  own  con- 
sent, he,  in  a  very  extraordinary  manner,  exerted  his  Di- 
vine power,  by  making  the  whole  band  fall  back,  and,  for 
a  time,  depriving  them  of  their  natural  strength.  Jesus, 
therefore,  knowing  all  things  that  should  come  upon  him, 
went  forth,  and  said  unto  them,  whom  seek  ye  P  They  an- 
swered him,  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  Jesus  said  unto  them,  I 
am  he.  And  Judas  also,  who  betrayed  him,  stood  with 
them..  JLs  soon  then  as  he  had  said  unto  them,  I  am  he, 
they  went  backward,  and  fell  to  the  ground. 

But  the  soldiers,  imagining,  perhaps,  that  they  had 
been  thrown  down  by  some  demon,  or  evil  spirit,  with 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  31 

whom  the  Jews  said  he  was  in  confederacy,  advanced 
towards  him  a  second  time.  Then  asked  he  them  again, 
whom  seek-  ye?  and  they  said,  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  Jesus 
answered,  J  have  told  you  that  I  am  fee,  again  expressing 
his  willingness  to  fall  into  their  hands.  //',  therefore,  ye 
seek-  me.  let  these  go  their  way;  meaning,  if  your  busi- 
ness be  with  me  alone,  do  not  interrupt  my  disciples. 
This  request  appears  to  have  been  made  by  our  Lord 
that  the  saying  might  be  fulfilled,  which  he  spake,  of 
them  which  thou  gav est  me  have  I  lost  none.  For  as  he 
always  proportioned  the  trials  of  his  people  to  their 
strength,  so  he  here  took  care  that  the  disciples  should, 
escape  the  storm,  which  none  but  himself  could  sustain. 

At  length,  some  of  the  soldiers,  more  daring  than  the 
rest,  began  to  lay  hands  on  Jesus;  upon  which,  some  of 
the  apostles,  who  were  armed  with  swords,  asked  their 
Master  if  they  might  draw  in  his  defence.  But  before  he 
could  give  them  an  answer,  Peter  had  drawn  his  sword, 
and,  in  great  fury,  struck  at  Malchus,  one  of  the  high- 
priest's  servants,  in  doing  which  he  happened  to  cut  oft" 
his  right  ear.  The  enraged  disciple  was  on  the  point  of 
singly  attacking  the  whole  band,  when  Jesus  ordered  him 
to  sheathe  his  sword,  telling  him,  that  his  unseasonable 
and  imprudent  defenee  might  prove  the  occasion  of  his 
destruction.  Put  up  again  thy  sword  into  his  place:  for 
all  they  that  take  the  sword  shall  perish  with  the  sword. 
He  farther  told  him,  that  his  conduct  implied  both  a  dis- 
trust of  God  (who  could  always  make  use  of  a  variety 
of  means  for  the  safety  of  his  people)  and  his  ignorance 
in  the  scriptures.  Thinkest  thou  (said  he)  that  I  cannot 
now  pray  to  my  Father,  and  he  shall  presently  give  me 
more  than  twelve  legions  of  angels?  But  how  then  shall 
the  scriptures  he  fulfilled  that  thus  it  must  be  P  Matth. 
xxvi.  53. 

Our  Blessed  Lord  being  tenderly  inclined  to  prevent 
any  bad  consequences  that  might  otherwise  have  arisen 
from  Peter's  rashness,  touched  the  head  of  Malchus,  and 
immediately  healed  him.  Having  done  this,  he  turned 
about,  and  expostulated  with  the  soldiers  on  the  indignity 
of  their  apprehending  him  in  so  scandalous  a  manner,  as 
if  he  had  been  a  thief,  or  some  vile  malefactor,  when  they 


32  FROM   THE   BIRTH    OF    CHRIST, 

had  frequent  opportunities  of  taking  him  in  the  temple. 
Be  ye  come  out  (said  he)  as  against  a  thief,  with  swords 
and  staves?  When  I  was  daily  with  you  in  the  temple,  ye 
stretched  forth  no  hands  against  me;  but  this  is  your 
hour,  and  the  power  of  darkness,  Luke  xxii.  51,  &c. 
They  had  hitherto  kept  at  some  distance,  hut  drew  nearer 
when  they  found  Jesus  was  in  their  power ;  they  were 
proof  against  all  conviction,  and  resolutely  bent  on  put- 
ting him  to  death. 

When  the  apostles  saw  their  Master  in  the  hands  of 
his  enemies,  they  lost  all  their  courage,  and  (as  he  had 
foretold)  left  him,  and  betook  themselves  to  flight.  Then 
all  the  disciples  forsook  him,  and  fled.  Then  the  band 
and  the  captain  and  officers  took  Jesus  and  bound  him. 
But  it  was  not  the  cord  which  held  him :  his  immense 
charity  was  by  far  a  stronger  bond.  He  could  have 
broken  those  weak  ties,  and  exerted  his  divinity  in  a 
more  wonderful  manner:  he  could  have  struck  them  all 
dead,  with  as  much  ease  as  he  had  before  thrown  them 
on  the  ground.  But  he  patiently  submitted  to  this,  as  to 
every  other  indignity  which  they  had  thought  proper  to 
offer  him.  He  suffered  himself  to  be  disposed  of  agreea- 
ble to  their  will;  and  accordingly  they  led  him  away,  in 
order  to  prosecute  their  designs  of  putting  him  to  death. 

When  the  soldiers  had  bound  our  Lord,  and  were  con- 
ducting him  away,  they  observed  a  young  man,  whom 
they  took  to  be  one  of  his  disciples,  following  him.  En- 
raged at  all  those  who  were  the  followers  of  the  Blessed 
Jesus,  they  attempted  to  seize  him,  but  he  having  no 
other  clothes  on  than  a  loose  garment,  slipped  himself 
from  it,  and  fled  from  them  naked.  This  person,  in  all 
probability  was  the  proprietor  of  the  garden,  who,  being 
awakened  with  the  noise  made  by  the  soldiers,  and 
startled  at  the  cause  of  it,  hastily  arose  from  his  bed,  and 
ran  out  with  no  other  covering  than  a  loose  garment 
thrown  over  him.  He  might,  probably,  have  had  a  re- 
spect for  Jesus ;  and  therefore,  when  he  found  him  in  the 
hands  of  his  enemies,  was  desirous  of  following  him  to 
see  what  would  be  the  issue  of  his  then  situation.  But, 
on  being  seized  by  the  soldiers,  and  considering  his  own 
danger,  he  slipped  from  them,  and  fled. 


TO    1113    ASCENSION    1X10    HEAVEN.  33 


chap.  xiii. 

Our  Blessed  Lord  is  taken  before  the  Sanhedrim,  examined, 
and  grossly  insulted.  Peter  denies  him  thrice.  Our  Lord  is 
condemned  by  the  Sanhedrim,  and  carried  before  Pontius 
Pilate,  the.  Roman  governor.  The  traitor  Judas  becomes  his 
own  executioner.  Pilate  publicly  acquits  Jesus,  and  refers 
his  case  to  the  decision  of  Herod,  U'/io  remits  him  to  Pilule. 
The  Roman  governor  makes  a  speech  to  the  rulers  of  the 
Jens  in  favor  of  our  Lord.  The  people  are  enraged  against 
liim,  and  insist  upon  his  being  put  to  death,  in  consequence 
of  which  Pilate,  to  excite  their  pity,  and  obviate  their  request 
of  having  him  put  to  death,  orders  him  to  be  scourged.  The 
people  arc  still  resolute,  upon  tvhich  Pilate  uses  farther  en- 
deavors to  appease  their  wrath,  but  without  effect,  and  is  at 
length  obliged  to  comply  with  their  unjust  and  severe  de- 
mands. Our  Blessed  Lord  is  conducted  to  Mount  Calvary, 
and  there  ignominiously  crucified  between  tivo  notorious 
malefactors.  Is  reviled  and  ill-treated  by  sever ul  of  the 
spectators.  Strange  phenomena  appear  during  the  lime  of 
his  being  fastened  on  the  cross.  Our  Lord,  after  being  some 
time  on  the  cross,  calls  upon  his  heavenly  Father,  and  then 
gives  up  the  ghost. 

AFTER  the  band  of  soldiers  had  apprehended  our 
Lord  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  they  first  took  him 
before  Annas,  who  was  father-in-law  to  Caiphas  the 
high-priest,  and  had  formerly  discharged  that  office  him- 
self. But  Annas,  not  chusing  to  interfere  singly  in  so 
singular  a  matter,  sent  them  to  Caiphas,  in  whose  palace, 
though  it  was  late  at  night,  the  Sanhedrim  were  still 
sitting.  Caiphas  examined  him  very  minutely  concerning 
botli  his  doctrine  and  disciples ;  in  answer  to  which  our 
Blessed  Lord  told  him,  that,  since  he  had  always  taught 
in  the  most  public  manner,  in  the  synagogues,  and  in  the 
temple,  he  should  rather  enquire  of  those  who  had  been 
his  constant  hearers.  I  spake  openly  to  the  world,  (said 
he)  I  ever  taught  in  the  synagogue,  and  in  the  temple, 
whither  the  Jews  always  resort,  and  in  secret  have  I  said 
nothing.  Why  asketh  thou  me?  Ask  them  which  heard 
vol.  iv.        E 


31  FROM   THE    BIRTH   OF   CHRIST, 

me  what  1  have  said  unto  them;  behold,  they  know  what 
I  said.   John  xviii.  20,  "Zi. 

All  the  actions  of  our  Blessed  Redeemer  were  done  in 
public,  and  even  in  the  presence  of  some  of  his  most  iu- 
veterate  enemies.  He,  therefore,  in  his  defence,  very 
justly  appealed  to  that  part  of  his  character;  but  his  an- 
swer was  construed  as  disrespectful,  for  when  he  had  thus 
spoken,  one  of  the  officers,  which  stood  by,  struck  Jesus 
with  the  palm  of  his  hand,  saying,  answerest  thou  the 
high-priest  so?  To  which  he  meekly  replied,  with  the 
greatest  serenity  of  mind,  If  I  have  spoken  evil,  bear 
witness  of  the  evil;  but  if  well,  why  smitest  thou  me? 
As  if  he  had  said,  "  Shew  me,  prove  before  this  court, 
wherein  my  crime  consists,  or  record  it  in  the  evidence 
on  the  face  of  my  trial;  which,  if  you  cannot  do,  how 
can  you  answer  this  inhuman  treatment  to  a  defenceless 
person  standing  on  his  trial  before  the  world,  and  in 
open  court  ?" 

The  council  perceiving  that,  from  our  Lord's  own  con- 
fession, they  could  not  lay  any  just  accusation  against 
him,  called  upon  several  false  witnesses,  whom  they  had 
procured  on  the  occasion;  but  these  either  disagreed  in 
their  relations,  or  came  not  sufficiently  to  the  point.  Two 
persons,  indeed,  were  consistent  in  what  they  deposed, 
viz.  that  they  had  heard  him  say,  he  would  pull  doAvn 
the  temple  (meaning  himself  when  he  spoke  it)  and  in 
three  days  rebuild  it.  But  as  this  accusation  was  false  in 
fact,  and  only  founded  upon  a  figurative  expression  of 
our  Saviours,  it  was  not  thought  to  amount  to  any  thing 
capital. 

Our  Blessed  Lord  did  not  make  any  reply  to  the  evi- 
dences that  were  produced  against  him.  This  greatly 
provoked  the  high-priest,  who,  supposing  he  intended, 
by  his  silence,  to  put  an  affront  on  the  council,  rose  from 
his  seat,  and,  in  the  most  haughty  and  imperious  manner, 
demanded  the  reason  for  so  remarkable  a  conduct.  An- 
swerest  thou  nothing?  (said  he)  what  is  it  which  these 
witness  against  thee?  And  some  of  the  council  added. 
Art  thou  the  Christ?  In  answer  to  this  our  Blessed 
Lord  told  them,  that  if  he  should  tell  them  plainly  they 
would  not  believe  him ;  and  if  he  should  demonstrate  it 


TO    HIS    ASCFASIOX    INTO    HEAVEN.  35 

iu  them  by  the  most  evident  and  undeniable  arguments, 
ycl  neither  would  they  he  convinced,  or  let  him  go. 

The  high -priest,  finding  all  his  endeavors  to  trepan 
our  Lord  in  vain,  said  to  him,  I  adjure  you,  by  the  living 
God,  in  whose  presence  you  now  stand,  that  you  tell  us 
plainly  and  truly,  whether  or  not  thou  art  the  Messiah, 
the  Son  of  God? 

Our  Blessed  Lord,  being  thus  adjured  by  the  chief 
mngistrate  of  the  council,  immediately  answered  iu  the 
affirmative;  and  added,  that  they  should  shortly  see  a 
convincing  evidence  of  the  truth  of  what  he  said  in  the. 
wonderful  destruction  he  would  bring  on  the  Jewish  na. 
tion:  in  the  progress  which  the  Gospel  should  make  over 
the  earth ;  and,  finally,  in  his  glorious  appearance  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven  at  the  last  day,  when  he  should  come 
to  judge  the  world. 

On  our  Blessed  Lord's  making  this  answer,  a  number 
of  the  council  cried  out  at  once,  Art  thou  the  Son  of  God? 
To  which  our  Great  Redeemer  replied,  Ye  say  that  lam : 
a  manner  of  speaking  among  the  Jews  which  expressed 
a  plain  and  strong  affirmation  of  the  question  asked. 

When  the  high-priest  heard  this  second  assertion,  he 
rent  his  clothes  with  great  indignation,  and  said  unto  the 
council,  Why  need  we  trouble  ourselves  to  seek  for  any 
more  witnesses?  Ye  yourselves,  nay,  this  whole  assembly, 
are  witnesses  that  he  hath  spoken  manifest  and  notorious 
blasphemy?  To  which  they  all  replied,  that,  for  assum- 
ing to  himself  the  character  of  the  Messiah,  he  deserved 
to  be  put  to  death. 

After  coming  to  this  resolution  the  council  broke  up, 
and  the  members  of  it  repaired  to  their  respective  homes, 
leaving  our  Lord  to  the  mercy  of  the  soldiers  and  the 
high- priest's  servants,  who  offered  all  the  acts  of  violence 
and  effrontery  that  they  could  invent  to  his  sacred  person. 
Some  spit  in  his  face,  others  buffeted  him,  others  blind- 
folded him,  and  others  again  smote  him  with  their  fists, 
calling  on  him  to  prophecy  who  it  was  that  struck  him. 
Such  was  the  treatment  of  the  Son  of  God,  who,  though 
unworthy  of  it,  bore  it  with  patience  and  resignation, 
leaving  mankind  an  example  to  follow  his  steps,  and 


3G  FROM    THE    BIRTH    OF    CHRIST, 

submit  to  the  will  of  God  in  all  things,  nor  murmur  at 
any  of  the  dispensations  of  his  Providence. 

During  this  melancholy  scene,  Peter,  whose  fears  had 
made  him  flee  from  his  Master  in  the  garden,  having  a 
little  recovered  his  spirits,  and  hoping  to  pass  undis- 
covered in  the  throng,  ventured  in,  among  others,  to  see 
the  issue  of  this  fatal  night,  and,  by  the  interest  of  his 
fellow-disciple  John  (who  went  with  him)  was  let  in  by 
a  maid-servant,  to  the  high-priest's  palace.  It  happened 
to  be  cold  weather,  and  the  servants  and  officers  having 
kindled  a  fire  in  the  common-hall,  Peter  went  in,  and  sat 
down  among  them  to  warm  himself.  The  maid-servant, 
who  kept  the  door,  followed  Peter,  and  looking  earnest- 
ly in  his  face,  charged  him  with  being  one  of  our  Lord's 
disciples.  Art  not  thou  also  one  of  this  maws  disciples? 
This  blunt  attack  threw  Peter  into  such  confusion,  that 
lie  flatly  denied  his  having  any  connection  with  Jesus, 
replying,  I  am  not,  and  adding,  I  know  not,  neither  un- 
derstand I  ivhat  thou  sayest.  As  if  he  had  said,  I  do  not 
understand  any  reason  for  your  asking  me  such  a  ques- 
tion. Thus  the  very  apostle  who  had  but  a  short  time 
before  acknowledged  his  Master  to  be  the  Messiah,  the 
son  of  the  living  God,  and  had  so  confidently  boasted  of 
his  fortitude,  and  firm  attachment  to  him  in  the  greatest 
dangers,  proved  an  arrant  deserter  of  his  cause  upon 
trial.  His  shameful  fears  were  altogether  inexcusable,  as 
the  enemy  who  attacked  him  was  one  of  the  weaker  sex, 
and  the  terror  of  the  charge  was  in  a  great  measure  taken 
off,  by  the  insinuation  made  in  it  that  John  was  likewise 
known  to  be  Christ's  disciple:  for  as  he  was  known  at 
the  high -priest's,  he  was  consequently  known  in  that 
character.  Art  thou  not  also  one  of  this  man's  disciples  ? 
Art  thou  not  one  of  them,  as  well  as  lie  who  is  sitting 
with  you?  Nothing  can  account  for  this  conduct  of  Peter, 
but  the  confusion  and  panic  which  had  seized  him,  on 
this  occasion.  As  his  inward  perturbation  must  have 
appeared  in  his  countenance  and  gesture,  he  did  not 
chase  to  stay  long  with  the  servants  at  the  fire.  He  went 
out,  therefore,  into  the  porch,  where  he  was  a  little  con- 
cealed. And  another  maid  saw  him,  and  began  to  say  to 
them  that  stood  by,  this  is  one  of  them;  and  he  again 


TO    HJS    ASCFATSION    INTO    IIEAVfcX. 

■7,  nied  it,  with  an  oath,  I  know  not  the  man;  adding  per- 
jury to  lving. 

After  Peter  had  been  thus  attacked  "without  doors,  lie 
thought  proper  to  return  and  mix  again  with  the  crowd 
at  the  fire.  And  Simon  Peter  stood  and  warmed  himself. 
From  this  circumstance  we  may  conclude,  that  Peter  left 
the  porch  where  the  second  denial  happened,  and  was 
come  again  into  the  hall.  Here  one  of  the  servants  of 
the  high-priest,  (-being  liis  kinsman  whose  ear  Peter  had 
rut  off  J  saith,  did  not  I  see  thee  in  the  garden  with  him? 
Peter  then  denied  him  again,  and  immediately  the  cock 
cnw.  The  words  of  Malchiis's  kinsman  bringing  to 
Peters  remembrance  what  he  had  done  to  that  slave, 
threw  him  into  such  a  panic,  that  when  those  who  stood 
by  repeated  the  charge,  he  impudently  denied  it:  He 
even  began  to  curse  and  to  swear,  saying  I  know  not  this 
man  of  whom  ye  speak.  For  when  they  heard  Peter 
deny  the  charge,  they  supported  it  by  an  argument 
drawn  from  the  accent  with  which  he  pronounced  his 
answer.  Surely  thou  art  one  of  them ;  for  thou  art 
a  Galilean,  and  thy  speech  agrecth  thereto  :  so  that  being 
pressed  on  all  sides,  to  give  his  lie  the  better  color,  he 
prophaned  the  name  of  God,  by  imprecating  the  bitterest 
curses  on  himself,  if  he  was  telling  a  falsehood. 

Thus  did  Peter  deny  his  master  three  distinct  times, 
with  oaths  and  asseverations,  totally  forgetting  the  vehe- 
ment protestations  he  had  made,  a  few  hours  before,  that 
he  would  never  deny  him.  From  this  circumstance  we 
are  taught  two  lessons :  first,  that  the  greatest  resolutions 
formed  on  our  own  strength  cannot  withstand  the  torrent 
of  temptation :  and,  secondly,  that  the  true  disciples  of 
Christ,  though  they  fall,  shall  be  brought  to  a  conviction 
of  their  sin:  for  no  sooner  had  Peter  denied  his  Master 
the  third  time  than  the  cock  crew,  and  awaked  in  him  the 
first  conviction  of  his  sin.  And  the  Lord  turned,  and 
looked  upon  Peter,  and  Peter  remembered  the  icord  of 
the  Lord,  how  he  had  said  unto  him,  Before  the  cock 
crow,  thou  shalt  deny  me  thrice.  And  Peter  icent  out, 
and  wept  bitterly. 

The  circumstance  of  our  Blessed  Lord's  turning  and 
looking  on  Peter  is  most  beautifully  described  by  the 


38  FROM   THE   BIRTH    OF    CHRIST, 

Evangelist  St.  Luke.  It  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that 
our  Lord  was  placed  on  some  eminence  at  one  end  of  the 
hall,  where  he  had  been  examined  by  the  council,  and 
was  surrounded  by  the  officers  left  to  take  care  of  him, 
while  Peter  was  at  the  other  end  with  the  servants  at  the 
fire ;  so  that  our  Lord  could  easily  look  towards  Peter, 
and  hear  him  denying  him.  This  being  observed  by 
Peter,  and  the  cock  instantly  crowing,  brought  his 
master's  prediction  fresh  into  his  mind.  He  was  stung 
with  deep  remorse,  and  being  unable  to  contain  himself, 
covered  his  face  with  his  garment  to  conceal  the  confusion 
he  was  in,  and,  going  out  into  the  porch,  wept  bitterly. 

Early  the  next  morning  the  Sanhedrim*  met  in  a  full 
body  in  the  temple,  whither  they  ordered  Jesus  to  be 
brought;  and,  having  again  enquired  of  him  whether  or 
not  he  was  the  true  Messiah,  and  again  received  the 
same  answer  as  before,  they  adjudged  him  guilty  of 
blasphemy,  and  accordingly  sentenced  him  to  death. 
The  grand  assembly,  having  thus  condemned  our  Lord, 
immediately  resolved  that  he  should  be  conducted  to  the 
palace  of  the  Roman  governor,!  whose  name,  at  that 
time  was  Pontius  Pilate,  in  order  that  he  might  ratify 
their  sentence,  and  grant  a  warrant  for  his  execution. 

*  The  assembly,  which  was  held  the  night  before,  and  who  had 
declared  our  Lord  deserving  of  death,  was  neither  general  nor  judi- 
cial, according  to  the  sense  of  the  law,  which  did  not  allow  of 
justice  being  administered  in  private,  or  in  the  night-time.  And 
therefore  the  high-priests  and  rulers  met  again  in  the  morning,  in 
the  council-ehamber  in  the  temple,  (which  they  could  not  do  the 
night  before  because  it  was  then  shut  up)  there  to  re-examine  our 
Saviour,  and  condemn  him  in  form. 

t  The  Roman  governors  of  Judea  generally  resided  at  Cfesarea, 
but  at  the  great  feasts  they  went  to  Jerusalem  (where  was  a  palace 
appointed  for  their  use)  in  order  to  prevent  or  suppress  tumults,  and 
to  administer  justice.  Pilate,  having  been  some  time  in  Jerusalem 
before  the  feast,  had  been  informed  of  the  great  ferment  among  the 
rulers,  and  the  true  character  of  the  person  on  whose  account  it  was 
raised.  He  therefore  entertained  a  proper  idea  of  the  whole  affair, 
and  clearly  saw  through  the  malice  and  vindictive  tempers  of  the 
rulers.  He  knew  that  for  envy  they  had  delivered  him.  He  knew  the 
cause  of  their  envy,  was  impressed  with  a  favorable  opinion  of 
Jesus,  and  resolved  if  possible,  to  deliver  him  out  of  the  hands  of  his 
vile  persecutors. 


TO    111S    ASCENSION'    INTO    HEAVEN.  39 

In  tlie  mean  time  Judas  Iscariot  (who  had  delivered 
our  Lord  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies)  watching  the 
issue  of  these  proceedings,  and  finding  that  his  Master 
was  delivered  over  to  the  secular  power,  repented  of  his 
perfidy,  and  was  filled  with  the  deepest  remorse  for  what 
he  had  done.  He  saw  all  his  golden  dreams  of  temporal 
lienors  sunk  at  once  to  nothing;  he  saw  his  kind,  his 
indulgent  Master,  condemned  and  forsaken  by  all  his 
followers.  He  saw  all  this,  and  determined,  if  possible, 
to  make  some  satisfaction  for  the  crime  he  had  committed. 
In  consequence  of  this  repentance  and  resolution  he 
went  to  the  council-chamber,  and  confessed  openly  his 
sin  before  the  chief  priests  and  elders,  1  have  sinned 
(said  he)  in  that  I  have  betrayed  the  innocent  blood.  He 
then  offered  them  the  money  he  had  received  to  commit 
it,  and  earnestly  wished  he  could  recal  the  fatal  trans- 
action of  the  preceding  night. 

T5ut  tills  moving  speech  of  Judas  had  no  effect  on  the 
callous  hearts  of  the  Jewish  rulers.  They  told  him,  that 
however  he  might  think  the  prisoner  innocent,  and  for 
that  reason  had  sinned  in  bringing  the  sentence  of  death 
upon  his  head,  they  were  not  to  blame;  because  they 
knew  him  to  be  a  blasphemer,  who  deserved  to  die. 
What  is  that  to  us?  said  they;  see  thou  to  that.  Nay, 
they  even  refused  to  take  back  the  money  they  had 
given  him  as  a  reward  for  performing  the  base  act  of  be- 
traying his  Master. 

The  deepest  remorse  now  seized  the  mind  of  the 
wretched  Judas,  and  his  soul  was  agitated  with  the 
horrors  of  despair.  The  innocence  and  benevolence  of 
his  Master,  the  many  favors  he  himself  had  received 
from  him,  and  the  many  kind  offices  he  had  done  for  the 
sons  and  daughters  of  affliction,  crowded  at  once  into  his 
mind,  and  rendered  his  torment  intolerable.  Racked 
with  those  agonizing  passions,  and  unable  to  support  the 
misery,  he  threw  down  the  wages  of  his  iniquity  in  the 
temple ;  and,  again  confessing  his  owrn  sin,  and  the  inno- 
cence of  his  Master,  went  away  in  despair,  and  hauged 
himself.  Thus  died  Judas  Iscariot  the  traitor,  a  misera- 
ble example  of  the  fatal  influence  of  covetousness,  and  a 
standing  monument  of  Divine  vengeance  to  deter  future 


10  FROM   THE   BIRTH   OF    CHRIST, 

generations  from  acting  in  opposition  to  the  dictates  of  con- 
science, through  a  love  of  the  things  of  this  world :  for 
which  this  wretched  mortal  betrayed  his  Master,  his 
friend,  his  Saviour,  and  accumulated  such  a  load  of 
guilt  upon  himself  as  sunk  his  soul  into  the  deepest  abyss 
of  despair,  to  shake  off  which  he  died  an  ignominious 
deatii  by  his  own  hands. 

The  pieces  of  silver,  which  Judas  threw  down  in  the 
council-chamber,  were  gathered  up,  and  delivered  to  the 
priests,  who  did  not  think  proper  to  put  them  into  the 
treasury,  because  they  were  the  price  of  blood.  They 
therefore  agreed  to  purchase  with  them  a  piece  of  ground 
then  called  the  Potter's  Field*  (but  afterwards  the  Field 
of  Blood)  as  a  place  of  interment  for  strangers. 

When  the  members  of  the  Sanhedrim  arrived  at  the 
governor's  palace,  they  refused  to  go  into  the  judgment- 
hall,  f  for  fear  of  contracting  some  pollution.  Pilate, 
therefore,  went  out  to  them ;  and  as  he  understood  that 
they  had  already  passed  sentence  on  our  Lord,  he 
demanded  the  grounds  of  their  accusation  against  him. 
Though  it  was  very  natural  for  the  governor  to  ask  this 
question,  yet  the  Jews  thought  themselves  highly  affront- 
ed by  it ;  and  being  unwilling  that  any  enquiry  should  be 

*  The  spot  of  ground,  called  the  Potter's  Field,  lay  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Valley  of  Jehoshaphat,  and  probably  received  its  name 
from  the  people  of  that  trade  drying  their  pots  there  before  they 
baked  them.  It  was  afterwards  called  the  Field  of  Blood  for  the 
reason  assigned  by  the  Evangelist 5  but  at  present,  from  that  venera- 
tion, which  it  has  since  obtained  among  Christians,  it  is  named  Campo 
Sancto,  or  the  Holy  Field.  It  is  a  small  spot  of  ground,  not  much 
above  thirty  yards  long,  and  about  half  as  much  broad.  One  part 
of  it  is  taken  up  by  a  square  fabric  about  twelve  yards  high,  built 
for  a  charnel-house,  in  the  covering  of  which  are  some  openings  to 
let  down  the  bodies  that  are  to  be  there  interred.  At  a  small  dis- 
tance from  this  burial-place,  is  an  intricate  cave  or  sepulchre,  con- 
sisting of  several  rooms  one  within  another;  in  some  of  which  it 
is  said  the  apostles  hid  themselves  when  they  forsook  their  Master, 
and  fled. 

t  In  the  governor's  palace  there  was  always  a  guard  of  Roman 
soldiers  and  a  great  company  of  servants ;  and,  as  they  were  heathens, 
the  Jews  thought  that,  by  touching  any  of  them,  they  should  be  de- 
filed, and  consequently,  made  incapable  of  eating  the  passover.  of 
which  no  unclean  person  was  to  partake. 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  41 

made  in  the  particulars  of  their  proceedings,  answered  in 
general,  that  if  he  had  not  been  a  criminal,  they  would 
not  have  brought  him  at  all,  much  less  at  so  early  an 
hour. 

Pilate  then  proceeded  to  examine  Jesus;  and  finding 
he  had  not  been  guilty  either  of  rebellion  or  sedition,  but 
that  he  was  accused  of  particulars  relating  to  the.  religion 
and  customs  of  the  Jews,  grew  angry  and  said,  What  are 
these  tilings  to  me?  Take  him  yourselves  and  judge  him, 
according  to  your  own  law.  Plainly  insinuating,  that  in  A.. 
his  opinion  the  crime  they  laid  to  the  prisoner's  charge 
was  not  of  a  capital  nature ;  and  that  such  punishments  as 
they  were  permitted  by  Caesar  to  inflict  were  adequate  to 
any  misdemeanor  that  Jesus  was  charged  with.  But  this 
proposal  of  the  Roman  governor  was  absolutely  refused 
by  the  Jewish  priests  and  elders,  because  it  condemned 
their  whole  proceedings;  and  therefore  they  replied,  that 
it  was  not  permitted  them  to  put  any  man  to  death. 

Pilate,  by  these  reserved  answers,  perceiving  that  their 
intention  was  to  make  him  the  instrument  of  their  malice 
against  an  innocent  man,  refused  to  intermeddle  any 
farther  in  the  affair,  unless  they  would  exhibit  some  arti- 
cles of  accusation  against  him.  Knowing,  therefore,  that 
Pilate  was  strougly  attached  to  the  Roman  court,  and  a 
slave  to  its  greatness,  they  alledged  against  our  Lord,  that 
he  had  been  guilty  of  seditious  practices,  by  using  every 
means  in  his  power  to  dissuade  the  people  from  paying 
taxes  to  Caesar,  pretending  that  he  himself  was  the  Mes- 
siah, the  great  king  of  the  Jews,  whom  they  had  so  long 
expected.  But  they  brought  no  proof  of  this  assertion; 
they  only  insinuated  that  they  had  convicted  him  of  this 
crime,  which  was  absolutely  false. 

The  name  of  king  particularly  struck  the  attention  of 
Pilate,  who  asked  our  Lord  whether  or  not  it  was  true 
what  had  been  alledged  against  him,  and  whether  he  had 
really  attempted  to  set  himself  up  as  king  of  the  Jews? 
The  answer  our  Lord  made  to  this  was  to  the  following 
efl'ect :  "  Have  you  ever,  during  your  stay  in  this  province, 
heard  any  thing  of  me  that  gave  you  reason  to  suspect  me 
guilty  of  secret  practices  and  seditious  designs  against  the 
government  ?  Or  do  you  found  your  question  only  on  the 

vol.  iv.  F 


O 


42  PROM    THE   BIRTH    OF    CHRIST, 

present  clamor  and  tumult  that  is  raised  against  me?  If 
this  is  the  case,  J>e  very  careful  lest  you  he  imposed  on 
merely  by  the  ambiguity  of  a  word:  for,  to  be  king  of  the 
Jews  is  not  to  erect  a  temporal  throne  in  opposition  to  that 
of  Caesar,  but  a  thing  of  a  very  different  nature ;  the  king- 
dom of  the  Messiah  is  in  the  heaveuly  Canaan." 

To  this  Pilate  replied,  Am  la  Jew?  Can  I  tell  what 
your  expectations  are,  and  in  what  sense  you  understand 
these  words?  The  rulers  and  chiefs  of  your  own  people, 
who  are  the  most  proper  judges  of  these  matters,  have 
brought  you  before  me  as  a  riotous  and  seditious  person; 
if  this  be  uot  the  truth,  let  me  know  what  is,  and  the  crime 
of  which  thou  hast  been  guilty. 

The  answer  our  Lord  made  to  this  was  to  the  follow- 
ing effect :  "  I  have,  indeed,  a  kingdom,  and  this  king- 
dom I  have  professed  to  establish.  But  then  it  is  not  of 
this  world,  nor  have  my  endeavors  to  establish  it  any  ten- 
dency to  cause  disturbances  in  the  government.  Had  that 
been  the  case  my  servants  and  followers  would  have 
fought  for  me,  and  not  suffered  me  to  have  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  the  Jews.  But  I  tell  you  plainly,  my  kingdom 
is  wholly  spiritual.  I  reign  in  the  hearts  of  my  people, 
and  bring  their  wills  and  affections  into  a  conformity  to 
the  will  of  God." 

Pilate  then  said  unto  our  Lord,  Art  thou  a  king  then? 
To  which  the  Blessed  Jesus  replied,  Thou  sayest  that  I 
am  a  king.  To  this  end  if  as  I  horn,  and  for  this  cause 
came  I  into  the  world,  that  I  should  bear  witness  unto  the 
truth.  Every  one  that  is  of  the  truth  heareth  my  voice. 
As  if  he  had  said,  "  In  the  sense  I  have  told  you  I  do 
declare  myself  to  be  a  king.  For  this  very  end  I  came 
into  the  world ;  and  whoever  sincerely  loves,  and  is  al- 
ways ready  to  embrace  the  truth,  will  hear  my  testimony, 
and  be  convinced  by  it." 

When  Pilate  found  that  our  Lord  disclaimed  all  right 
to  secular  kingdoms,  he  thought  he  had  not  any  thing  to 
do  with  examining  him  about  the  nature  of  his  spiritual 
empire;  and  therefore,  withdrawing  from  the  court  into 
the  vestibulum  (where  his  accusers  were  impatiently  ex- 
pecting the  ratification  of  their  sentence,  in  order  to  exe- 
cution) he,  contrary  to  their  hopes,   told  them,  that  he 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  43 

found  nothing  worthy  of  death  in  him.  As  if  he  had  said, 
"  I  have  again  examined  this  man,  but  cannot  find  him 
guilty  of  any  fault,  which,  according  to  the  Roman  law, 
is  worthy  of  death." 

"When  the  chief  priests  and  elders  found  themselves 
disappointed  in  their  expectations,  they  grew  exceeding 
clamorous,  representing  our  Lord  as  a  turbulent  disturber 
of  the  people,  and  charging  him  with  spreading  seditious 
principles  through  all  Galilee  and  Judea,  even  as  far  as 
Jerusalem.  He  stirreth  up  the  people,  (said  they)  begin- 
ningfrom  Galilee  to  this  place. 

Pilate  hearing  them  name  Galilee,  and  understanding, 
from  enquiry,  that  our  Lord  was  a  Galilean,  and,  conse- 
quently, belonged  to  Herod's  jurisdiction,*  in  order  to 
get  rid  of  the  importunity  of  the  Jews,  and  withal  to  fre& 
himself  from  this  disagreeable  affair,  ordered  him  imme- 
diately to  be  taken  before  Herod,  who,  on  account  of  the 
Passover,  was  then  at  Jerusalem. 

Herod  was  no  less  pleased  at  the  honor  done  hiin  by 
Pilate,  than  glad  of  having  the  opportunity  of  seeing 
.Testis,  hoping  that  he  should  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing 
him  perform  some  great  miracle.  And  when  Herod  saw 
Jesus  he  was  exceeding  glad:  for  he  was  desirous  to  see 
him  of  a  long  season,  because  he  had  heard  many  things 
of  him;  and  he  hoped  to  have  seen  some  miracle  done  by 
him.  Herod,  however,  soon  found  himself  mistaken ;  for. 
as  he  had  apostatized  from  the  doctrine  of  John  the 
Baptist,  to  which  he  was  once  a  convert,  and  had  even 
put  his  teacher  to  death,  the  Blessed  Jesus,  however 
liberal  of  his  miracles  to  the  sons  and  daughters  of  afflic- 
tion, would  not  work  them  to  gratify  the  curiosity  of  a 
tyrant;  nor  would  he  even  answer  a  single  question  put 
to  him  by  Herod.  This  made  the  tetrarch  consider  him 
as  an  insignificant,  despicable  person;  and  accordingly, 
having  committed  him  to  the  derision  and  insults  of  his 
guards,  wrho  used  him  with  the  utmost  indiguity,  he  or- 

*  Pilate's  government  did  not  extent  to  Galilee;  it  included  Judea 
only.  Herod  was  at  this  time  king,  or  tetrarch  of  Galilee,  and,  con- 
sequently, Jesus  was  his  subject;  and  therefore,  according  to  the 
Roman  laws,  it  was  Pilate's  duty  to  send  him  to  Herod,  especially  as 
he  was  accused  of  rebellion,  and  a  design  to  make  himself  a  king 


14  TKOM    THE    BIRTH    OF    CHRIST, 

dered  him  to  be  immediately  taken  back  to  Pilate,*  first 
putting  on  him  an  old  robe,  or  garment,  resembling  in 
color  those  worn  by  kings. 

The  enemies  of  our  Blessed  Lord  having  re-conducted 
him  to  the  palace  of  the  Roman  governor,  Pilate  addressed 
himself  to  the  priests  and  rulers  of  the  people,  in  words 
to  this  effect.  He  told  them,  "  that  though  they  had 
"  brought  this  man  before  him  as  a  seditious  person,  and 
(c  a  seducer  of  the  people,  yet,  upon  examination,  he  could 
"  not  find  him  guilty  of  auy  of  the  crimes  that  were  laid 
"  to  his  charge ;  that  this  was  not  his  opinion  only,  but 
"  that  Herod  (who  was  a  more  competent  judge  of  the 
(i  affair,  and  to  whom  he  had  sent  him  on  purpose  to  take 
i:  cognizance  of  it)  had  no  ways  signified  that  his  crimes 
£e  were  capital ;  and  therefore,  instead  of  taking  away  his 
(i  life,  he  proposed  some  lesser  punishment,  if  they 
a  thought  fit,  such  as  scourging  him  a  little  with  whips, 
£i  and  then  dismissing  him."  But  this  lenity  was  so  dis- 
agreeable to  their  enraged  tempers,  that  they  peremptori- 
ly demanded  execution,  crying  out,  Crucify  him,  Cruci- 
fy him.  Pilate,  still  tender  of  shedding  innocent  blood, 
expostulated  farther  with  them  on  the  impropriety  of  their 
conduct,  desiring  to  know  what  evil  he  had  done  ;  for,  as 
to  his  part,  he  could  find  no  fault  in  him,  much  less  any 
crime  deserving  of  death.  This,  however,  did  but  the 
more  exasperate,  and  make  them  the  more  clamorous,  for 
his  speedy  execution,  And  they  cried  out  the  more  exceed- 
ingly, crucify  him. 

The  Roman  governor  had  still  one  expedient  left  in 
favor  of  Jesus,  which  he  thought  would  not  fail  him. 
Every  passover  he  was  obliged,  by  a  certain  custom,  to 
pardon  one  criminal  whom  the  Jews  should  nominate; 
and  therefore  the  people,  being  at  this  time  urgent  with 
him  to  grant  them  that  usual  favor,  he  proposed  two 
persons  to  them :  namely,  Barabbas,  a  notorious  malefac- 

*  Herod  and  Pilate  had  been  long  at  variance,  but  on  this  occa- 
sion, they  became  perfectly  reconciled.  It  is  generally  thought  that 
the  cause  of  their  difference  was,  the  massacre  that  Pilate  made  of 
some  Galileans  at  Jerusalem  during  the  time  of  the  passover.  (Luke 
xiii.  1.)  which  Herod  resented,  as  an  indignity  put  upon  him,  and  an 
invasion  of  his  authority,  he  being,  at  that  time,  tetrarch  of  Galilee 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  i'o 

tor,  who,  iii  an  insurrection  with  some  other  seditious 
prisons,  had  committed  murder,  and  Jesus,  who  was 
called  Christ.  Pilate  did  not  doubt  hut  that  the  populace, 
whom  he  knew  were  better  inclined  to  our  Lord  than  the 
rulers,  would  have  preferred  an  innocent  man  to  a  thief 
and  a  murderer.  But  in  this  he  found  himself  greatly 
mistaken:  for,  at  the  instigation  of  their  priests,  and  others 
in  authority,  they  desired  that  the  favor  might  be  granted 
to  ISarabbas.  In  consequence  of  this,  Pilate  desired  to 
know  what  he  was  to  do  with  the  person  whom  they 
called  Christ;  upon  which  they,  one  and  all  cried  out. 
Crucify  him,  crucify  him.  Pilate  still  insisted  on  the.  in- 
nocence of  Jesus,  and  requested  that  they  would  he  satis- 
lied  with  some  lighter  punishment  than  his  being  put  to 
death ;  but  this,  iustead  of  producing  any  good  effect,  only 
made  them  redouble  their  clamors,  and,  in  the  most  tu- 
multuous manner  imaginable,  demand  that  he  might  be 
crucified. 

Just  at  this  time  Pilate  received  a  message  from  his 
wife,  then  at  Jerusalem,  and  who,  that  morning,  had  been 
informed  of  something  in  a  dream,  which  gave  her  great 
uneasiness.  The  dream  had  such  an  effect  on  her  spirits, 
that  she  could  not  rest  till  she  had  sent  an  account  of  it  to 
her  husband,  who  was  then  sitting  with  the  tribunal  on 
the  judgment-seat,  at  the  same  time  beseeching  him  not  to 
have  any  hand  in  the  deatli  of  the  righteous  person  lie  was 
then  judging.  "  When  he  was  set  down  on  the  judgment- 
"  seat  his  wife  sent  unto  him,  saying,  Have  thou  nothing 
"  to  do  with  that  just  man:  for  I  have  suffered  many 
"  things  this  day  in  a  dream  because  of  him."  Matthew 
xxvii.  19. 

This  message  greatly  affected  Pilate,  and  made  him 
still  the  more  desirous  of  releasing  Jesus,  or  at  least  of 
sparing  his  life.  And  therefore,  in  hopes  of  pacifying  the 
rage  of  the  multitude,  and  exciting  their  pity,  he  ordered 
him  to  be  scourged. 

The  soldiers  who  were  appointed  to  inflict  this  punish- 
ment on  our  Lord,  thinking  it  not  sufficient  to  execute  the 
simple  orders  of  Pilate,  thought  proper  to  increase  the 
punishment  by  measures  of  their  own  invention.  They 
accordingly  took  our  Lord  into  the  common-hall,  where, 


46  FROM   THE   BIRTH   OF   CHRIST, 

after  stripping  him  of  his  own  clothes,  they  put  a  loose 
purple  coat  about  him,  for  a  robe;  a  wreath  of  thorns 
upon  his  head,  for  a  crown;  and  a  reed  in  his  hand,  for 
a  sceptre;  and  then,  in  derision,  saluted  him,  and  bowing 
their  knees,  mocked  him  with  the  sham  profession  of  al- 
legiance, saying,  Hail,  king  of  the  Jews.  After  this,  they 
spit  in  his  face,  smote  him  on  the  cheek,  and  (to  make  his 
crown  of  thorns  pierce  deeper  into  his  flesh)  several  times 
struck  him  on  the  head.  They  then  fastened  him  with 
cords  to  one  of  the  pillars  in  the  hall,  and  scourged  him 
with  such  unrelenting  cruelty,  that  the  pavement  was 
crimsoned  with  his  most  precious  blood. 

In  this  piteous  plight,  with  his  head,  face  and  body 
embrued  in  blood,  and  with  all  his  mock  ornaments  on, 
Pilate,  in  hopes  of  moving  the  people's  compassion,  or- 
dered Jesus  to  be  brought  forth.  As  soon  as  he  appeared, 
Pilate,  addressing  himself  to  the  people,  cried  out,  Behold 
the  man!  As  if  lie  had  said,  "Will  nothing  make  you 
relent?  Have  ye  lost  all  the  feelings  of  humanity,  and 
bowels  of  compassion?  Can  you  bear  to  see  the  innocent, 
a  son  of  Abraham,  thus  injured?" 

But  all  this  was  to  no  purpose.  The  priests  (whose 
rage  and  malice  had  extinguished  not  only  the  sentiments 
of  justice,  and  feelings  of  pity,  natural  to  the  human 
heart,  but  also  that  love  which  countrymen  usually  bear 
each  other)  no  sooner  saw  Jesus,  than  they  began  to  fear 
the  fickle  populace  might  relent ;  and  therefore,  laying 
decency  aside,  they  led  the  way  to  the  multitude,  by 
crying  out,  with  all  their  might,  Crucify  him!  Crucify 
him  ! 

Pilate,  vexed  to  see  the  Jewish  rulers  thus  obstinately 
bent  on  the  destruction  of  a  person  from  whom  they  had 
nothing  to  fear  that  was  dangerous,  either  with  regard  to 
their  church  or  state,  passionately  told  them,  that  if  they 
would  have  him  crucified,  they  must  do  it  themselves, 
for  that  he  would  not  suffer  his  people  to  put  to  death  an 
innocent  man. 

In  answer  to  this,  the  chief  priests  and  elders  told 
Pilate,  that,  admitting  the  accusation  which  had  been 
laid  against  the  prisoner  not  to  be  true,  yet  he  had  com- 
mitted such  a  crime  in  the  presence  of  the  whole  council, 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  47 

as,  by  their  law,  deserved  the  most  ignominious  death. 
That  he  had  spoken  blasphemy,  by  calling  himself  the 
Son  of  God,  a  title  which  do  mortal  could  assume  with- 
out the  highest  degree  of  guilt.  We  have  a  law  (said 
they)  and  by  our  law  he  ought  tu  die,  because  he  hath 
made  himself  the  Sun  of  God. 

These  last  words  raised  some  terror  in  Pilate,  and 
gave  him  still  farther  uneasiness.  He  probably  recollect- 
ed the  miracles  said  to  have  been  performed  by  Jesus, 
and  (though  an  heathen  himself)  suspecting  that  he  might 
be  endued  with  some  extraordinary  powers,  he  began  to 
apprehend  that,  if  he  proceeded  to  pass  sentence  on  him, 
he  should  not  only  destroy  an  innocent  person,  but  at 
once  commit  an  act  both  of  injustice  and  impiety.  He 
therefore,  returning  with  Jesus  to  the  judgment-seat, 
begau  to  enquire  into  his  origin  and  pedigree;  but  as  it 
was  no  part  of  our  Saviour's  intention  to  escape  death, 
he  did  not  think  proper  to  auswer  either  of  the  questions 
asked  by  the  governor,  or  to  say  any  thing  in  his  own 
justification.  Pilate,  being  greatly  surprized  at  our  Lord's 
silence,  said  unto  him,  Speakest  thou  not  unto  me? 
li'noicest  thou  not  that  I  have  power  to  crucify  thee,  and 
have  power  to  release  thee?  To  which  our  Blessed 
Lord  replied,  Thou  couldst  have  no  power  at  all  against 
me,  except  it  were  given  thee  from  above:  therefore  he 
that  delivered  me  unto  thee  hath  the  greater  sin.  As  if 
he  had  said,  "  I  well  know  that  you  are  Caesar's  servant, 
and  accountable  to  him  for  your  conduct.  I  forgive  you 
any  injury,  which,  contrary  to  your  inclination,  the 
popular  fury  constrains  you  to  do  unto  me.  Thou  hast 
that  power  from  above,  from  the  emperor;  for  which  cause, 
the  Jewish  high-priest,  who  hath  put  me  into  thy  hands, 
and,  by  pretending  that  I  am  an  enemy  to  Caesar,  forces 
thee  to  condemn  me ;  or,  if  thou  refusest,  will  accuse  thee 
as  negligent  of  the  emperor's  interest:  He,  therefore,  is 
more  guilty  than  thou."  He  that  delivered  me  unto  thee 
hath  the  greater  sin. 

This  modest  reply  made  such  an  impression  on  Pilate, 
that  he  more  strongly  represented  to  the  people  his  de- 
sire of  releasing  Jesus;  upon  which,  to  work  effectually 
upon  his  fears,  the  chief  priests  and  rulers  cried  out,  If 


48  FROM   THE   BIRTH   OF   CHRIST. 

thou  let  this  man  go,  thou  art  not  Caesar' s  friend :  whoso- 
ever maJceth  himself  a  king,  speaketh  against  Caesar.* 
If  thou  dost  release  the  prisoner,  who  hath  set  himself 
up  for  a  king,  and  endeavored  to  raise  a  rebellion  in  the 
country,  thou  art  unfaithful  in  the  interest  of  the  emperor 
thy  master. 

Pilate,  who  well  knew  the  jealous  temper  of  his  mas- 
ter Tiberius,  and  how  easily  a  wrong  representation  of 
these  proceedings  might  prove  his  ruin,  had  not  courage 
to  withstand  this  forcible  menace.  He,  therefore,  return- 
ing to  the  judgment-hall,  ordered  Jesus  to  be  brought  be- 
fore him  to  his  public  tribunal,  which  stood  in  a  paved 
place  called  Gabatha,f  in  order  to  pass  that  sentence  on 
him  which  he  had  been  so  repeatedly  requested  to  do  by 
his  enemies.  But  previous  to  his  discharging  this  melan- 
choly office,  he  called  for  some  water,  and,  washing  his 

*  This  threat  and  accusation  seems  to  he  the  grand  reason  why 
Pilate  afterwards  sent  an  account  of  our  Saviour  and  his  crucifixion 
to  the  emperor  Tiberius,  in  order  to  clear  himself  from  any  imputa- 
tion that  might  be  maliciously  laid  to  his  ?harge,  and  to  make  the 
emperor  sensible  who  were  the  persons  that  had  been  the  sole  instru- 
ments of  causing  our  Lord  to  be  put  to  death.  The  epistle,  which 
Pilate  wrote  to  the  emperor  on  this  occasion,  was  to  the  following 
effect : 

"  Pilate  to  Tiberius,  &c. 

"  I  have  been  forced  to  consent  at  length  to  the  crucifixion  of 
"  Jesus  Christ,  to  prevent  a  tumult  among  the  Jews,  though  it  was 
"  very  much  against  my  will:  for  the  world  never  saw,  and  proba- 
"  bly  never  will  see,  a  man  of  such  extraordinary  piety  and  upright- 
"  ness.  But  the  high-priest  and  Sanhedrim  fulfilled  in  it  the  oracles 
(i  of  their  prophets.  Whilst  he  hung  on  the  cross,  a  horrid  dark- 
"  ness,  which  covered  the  earth,  seemed  to  threaten  its  final  end. 
"  His  followers,  who  say  that  he  was  risen  from  the  dead,  and 
"  ascended  into  heaven,  and  acknowledge  him  for  their  God,  do  still 
"  submit,  and,  by  their  excellent  lives,  shew  themselves  the  worthy 
"  disciples  of  so  extraordinary  a  Master.  1  did  what  I  could  to 
"  save  him  from  the  malice  of  the  Jews,  but  the  fear  of  a  total  in- 
"  surrection  made  me  submit  to  his  being  crucified  for  the  peace  and 
"  interest  of  your  empire." 

t  The  word  Gabatha,  in  the  Syriac  (which  was  the  language  then 
commonly  spoken)  signifies  an  elevation;  and  therefore  the  place, 
where  Pilate  had  his  tribunal  erected,  was  probably  a  gallery  or 
balcony  belonging  to  his  palace,  and  paved  either  with  stone  or 
marble. 


rO    HIS    ASCENSION    IKTO    HBAYEN.  i'J 

hands  in  the  presence  of  all  the  people,  solemnly  de- 
clared that  he  was  innocent  of  the  blood  of  that  just  man, 
and  that  the)/  must  answer  for  it:  upon  which  the  whole 
body  of  the  people  cried  out,  His  blood  be  on  US,  and  on  our 
children.  This  was  an  imprecation  of  the  most  shocking 
nature,  and  which  brought  on  (hem  that  just  punishment 
they  have  ever  since  so  fatally  experienced. 

Our  Blessed  Lord  being  thus  condemned  to  the  cross,  the 
soldiers  and  officers,  after  repeating  their  former  insults  and 
indignities,  took  off  the  purple  coat,  and  putting  his  own 
garments  on  him,  and,  having  laid  a  heavy  cross  on  his 
shoulders,  led  him  away  to  his  crucifixion.  But  when  lie 
came  to  the  gate  of  the  city,  his  strength  was  so  much 
exhausted,  that  lie  was  no  longer  able  to  stand  under  it. 
The  fatigue  of  the  preceding  night  spent  without  sleep, 
the  sufferings  he  had  undergone  in  the  garden,  his  having 
been  hurried  from  place  to  place,  and  obliged  to  stand 
the  whole  time  of  his  trials;  the  want  of  food,  and  the 
loss  of  hlood  he  had  sustained,  and  not  his  want  of  cour- 
age on  this  occasion,  made  him  faint  under  the  burthen 
of  his  cross.  The  soldiers  seeing  him  unable  to  bear  the 
Weight,  laid  it  on  one  Simon,  a  Cyrenian  (the  father  of 
Alexander  and  llufus,  well  known  among  the  first  chris- 
tians) and  compelled  him  to  bear  it  the  rest  of  the  way. 

Tlie  Blessed  Jesus,  in  his  way  to  the  place  of  execu- 
tion, was  followed  by  an  innumerable  multitude  of  people, 
among  whom  were  many  good  and  pious  women,  who 
bitterly  lamented  the  severity  of  his  sentence,  and  ex- 
pressed the  most  conspicuous  tokens  of  sincere  compas- 
sion and  grief  on  the  occasion.  Upon  this  our  Blessed 
Lord,  turned  himself  about,  and,  with  a  benevolence  and 
tenderness  truly  divine,  said  to  them,  Daughters  of  Je- 
rusalem, weep  not  for  me,  but  wee])  for  yourselves*  and 
for  your  children.  For,  behold,  the  days  are  coming,  in 
the  which  they  sha  I  say,  Blessed  are  the  barren,  and  the, 
wombs  that  never  bare,  and  the  paps  which  never  gave 
suck.  Then  shall  they  begin  to  say  to  the  mountains,  Fall 
on  us;  and  to  the  hills,  Cover  us.  For  if  they  do  these 
things  in  a  green  tree,  ichat  shall  be  done  in  the  dry? 
Luke  xxiii.  28,  &c.  As  if  he  had  said,  "  Dry  up  these 
tears  ye  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  which  ye  shed  in  com- 

vol.  iv.        G 


50  FROM    THE    BIRTH    OF     CHRIST, 

passion  to  me,  and  reserve  them  for  the  deplorable  fate 
of  yourselves,  and  of  your  children;  for  the  calamities 
that  will  soon  fall  on  you  and  your  offspring  are  truly 
terrible,  and  call  for  the  bitterest  lamentations.  In  those 
days  of  vengeance  you  will  passionately  wish  that  you 
had  not  given  birth  to  a  generation,  whose  wickedness 
had  rendered  them  the  objects  of  the  wrath  of  the  Al- 
mighty, to  such  a  degree,  as  never  was, before  expe- 
rienced in  the  world.  Then  shall  they  wish  to  be  crushed 
under  the  weight  of  enormous  mountains,  and  concealed 
from  their  enemies  in  the  bowels  of  the  hills.  If  the  Ro- 
mans are  permitted  to  inflict  such  punishments  on  me, 
who  am  innocent,  how  dreadful  must  the  vengeance  be, 
which  they  shall  inflict  on  a  nation,  whose  sins  cry  aloud 
to  heaven,  hastening  the  pace  of  the  Divine  judgments, 
and  rendering  the  perpetrators  as  proper  for  punishment 
as  dry  wood  is  for  the  flames!" 

When  our  Blessed  Lord  came  to  the  place  of  execu- 
tion, which  was  called  Golgotha,*  or  Mount  Calvary, 
the  soldiers,  before  they  nailed  him  to  the  cross,  offered 
him  a  potion  of  vinegar  mixed  with  gall,  which,  when  he 
had  tasted,  he  refused  to  drink.  They  then  stripped  off 
his  clothes,  and  proceeded  to  the  business  of  execution, 
by  fastening  him  on  the  cross.  But  while  they  were 
piercing  his  hands  and  his  feet  with  nails,  instead  of  cry- 
ing out  from  the  sharpness  of  the  pain,  he  calmly,  though 
fervently,  prayed  for  them,  and  for  all  those  who  had  any 
hand  in  his  death ;  beseeching  the  Almighty  to  forgive 
them,  and  excusing  them  himself  by  the  only  circum- 
stance that  could  alleviate  their  guilt;  namely,  their  ig- 
norance. Father  (said  the  compassionate  Redeemer  of 
mankind)  forgive  them,  for  they  knoiv  not  what  they  do. 

But  now  behold  the  appointed  soldiers  dig  the  hole  in 
which  the  cross  is  to  be  erected! — The  cross  is  placed  in 

*  The  word  Golgotha,  in  the  Syriac  language,  signifies  the  same 
that  Calvary  does  iry  Latin,  and  was  so  called,  either  because  the 
form  oi'  the  mount  did  somewhat  resemble  a  man's  skulS,  or  else,  be- 
cause, from  its  being  the  common  place  of  execution,  a  great  num- 
ber of  men's  skulls  were  usually  to  be  seen  there.  It  was  a  small 
eminency,  or  hill,  upon  the  greater  mount  of  Moriah,  and  being  ap- 
propriated for  the  execution  of  malefactors,  was  considered  as  aw 
execrable  and  polluted  place. 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  51 

the  ground,  and  the  Blessed  Jesus  fastened  on  the  bed 
of  sorrows. — He  is  nailed  to  it — His  nerves  crack — His 
Mood  distils — He  hangs  upon  his  wounds  naked,  a  spec- 
tacle to  heaven  and  earth;  And,  to  stain  his  innocence  in 
the  eyes  of  the  multitude,  and  to  put  hiin  to  the  greater 
shame,  they  crucified  him  between  two  common  malefac- 
tors. 

It  was  usual  for  the  crimes  committed  by  offenders  to 
be  distinctly  written  and  placed  over  their  heads  on  the 
cross.  In  conformity  to  this  custom,  Pilate  ordered  an 
inscription  to  be  placed  over  the  head  of  Jesus,  and  to  bo 
written  in  the  three  following  languages,  namely,  He- 
brew, Greek  and  Latin.  This  was  accordingly  done,  and 
the  inscription,  according  to  the  translation  of  each,  Mas 
as  follows : 

JESUS  OF  NAZARETH,  THE  KING  OF  THE  JEWS. 

But  when  the  chief  priests  and  elders  had  read  this 
title,  they  were  greatly  displeased:  because,  as  it  repre- 
sented the  crime  for  which  Jesus  was  condemned,  it  in- 
sinuated that  he  had  been  acknowledged  for  the  Messiah. 
Besides,  being  placed  over  the  head  of  one  who  was 
dying  by  the  most  infamous  punishment,  it  implied  that 
all  who  attempted  to  deliver  the  Jews  should  perish  in 
the  same  manner.  The  faith  and  hope  of  the  nation,  there- 
fore, being  thus  publicly  ridiculed,  it  is  no  wonder  that  the 
priests  thought  themselves  highly  affronted;  and  accord- 
ingly came  to  Pilate,  begging  that  the  writing  might  be 
altered.  But  as  he  had  intended  the  affront  in  revenge 
for  their  forcing  him  to  crucify  Jesus,  contrary  both  to  his 
judgment  and  inclination,  he  refused  to  grant  their  re- 
quest.   What  I  have  written  (said  he)  I.  have  written. 

When  the  soldiers  had  nailed  the  Blessed  Jesus  to  the 
cross,  and  fixed  it  upright  in  the  ground,  they  divided  his 
garments  among  them.  But  his  coat,  or  vesture,  being 
without  seam,  woven  from  the  top  throughout,  they 
agreed  not  to  rend  it,  but  to  cast  lots  for  it,  by  which  was 
fulfilled  the  prediction  of  the  prophet  concerning;  the 
death  and  sufferings  of  the  Messiah.  They  parted  my 
garments  among  them,  and  for  my  vesture  did  they  east 
lots.    A  sufficient  indication  that  every  circumstance  at. 


5&  FROM    THE    BIRTH    OF    CHRIST, 

tending  the  death  and  sufferings  of  the  Blessed  Jesus 
was  long  before  determined  in  the  court  of  heaven;  and. 
accordingly  his  being  crucified  between  two  malefactors 
was  expressly  foretold — and  he  was  numbered  among 
the  transgressors. 

The  common  people  (whom  the  vile  priests  had  in- 
censed against  the  Blessed  Jesus,  by  the  malicious  false- 
hoods they  had  spread  concerning  him,  and  which  they 
pretended  to  found  on  the  deposition  of  witnesses)  seeing 
him  hang  in  so  infamous  a  manner  upon  the  cross,  and 
reading  the  inscription  that  was  placed  over  his  head, 
signified  their  indignation  at  him  by  snrcastical  ex- 
pressions, Thou  (said  they)  that  destroyest  the  temple, 
and  buildest  it  in  three  days,  save  thyself:  if  thou  be  the 
Son  of  God,  come  down  from  the  cross. 

But  the  common  people  were  not  the  only  persons 
who  mocked  and  derided  the  Blessed  Jesus,  while  he 
was  suffering  to  obtain  the  remission  of  sins  for  all  man- 
kind. The  rulers,  who  now  imagined  they  had  effectually 
destroyed  his  pretensions  to  the  character  of  the  Messiah, 
joined  the  populace,  in  ridiculing  him,  and  with  a  mean- 
ness of  soul,  which  many  infamous  wretches  would  have 
scorned,  mocked  him,  even  while  he  was  struggling  with 
the  agonies  of  death.  They  scoffed  at  the  miracles  by 
which  lie  demonstrated  himself  to  be  the  Messiah,  and 
promised  to  believe  in  him,  on  condition  of  his  proving 
his  pretensions,  by  descending  from  the  cross.  lie  saved 
others  (said  they)  himself  he  cannot  save;  if  he  be  the 
Icing  of  Israel,  let  him  now  come  down  from  the  cross, 
and  we  will  believe  him. 

The  soldiers  also  joined  in  t'ie  general  scene  of 
mockery,  If  thou  be  the  king  of  the  Jews  (said  they) 
save  thyself.  If  thou  art  the  great  Messiah  so  long  ex- 
pected by  the  Jews,  descend  from  the  cross  by  miracle, 
and  deliver  thyself  from  these  excruciating  torments. 

With  our  Blessed  Lord  were  crucified  two  notorious 
malefactors,  one  on  his  right  hand,  and  the  other  on  his 
left.  One  of  these  reviled  and  mocked  him  in  the  same 
gross  manner  with  the  multitude,  requiring  him  to  give 
them  (as  they  desired)  a  demonstration  of  his  being  the 
true  Messiah,  by  rescuing  both  himself  and  them  from  the 


TO    HIS    ASCSKSION    INTO    !lK.AYr.N\  59 

Classes  whereon  they  were  fixed,  But  the  other  malefac- 
tor reproved  his  companion  for  insulting  the  innocent, 
and  (while  himself  was  receiving  the  just  reward  of  his 
crimes)  for  upbraiding  a  person  who  suffered  unde- 
servingly. Having  said  this,  lie  looked  upon  Jesus  with 
a  noble  reliance,  and  most  wonderful  faith,  and  humbly 
besought  him  to  retain  some  remembrance  of  him,  when 
lie  came  into  his  kingdom;  to  which  our  Lord  returned 
him  his  most  gracious  promise  of  speedy  felicity. 

I  hit  let  us  (before  we  proceed  any  farther  in  the  rela- 
tion of  this  melancholy  scene)  attentively  consider  the  sin- 
gularity of  the  circumstances  that  attended  it,  as  they 
point  out  to  our  view  events  absolutely  astonishing. 
When  we  remember  the  perfect  innocence  of  our  great 
Redeemer,  the  uncommon  love  he  bore  to  the  children  of 
men,  and  the  many  kind  and  benevolent  offices  he  did  for 
the  sons  and  daughters  of  affliction:  when  we  reflect  on 
the  esteem  in  which  lie  was  held  all  along  by  the  common 
people,  how  cheerfully  they  followed  him  to  the  remotest 
corners  of  the  country;  nay,  even  into  the  desolate  re- 
treats of  the  wilderness,  and  with  what  pleasure  they 
listened  to  his  discourses,  we  cannot  help  being  astonish- 
ed to  find  them  at  the  conclusion  rushing  all  of  a  sudden 
into  the  opposite  extremes,  and  every  individual,  as  it 
were,  combined  to  treat  him  with  the  most  barbarous 
cruelty. 

When  Pilate  asked  the  people  if  they  desired  to  have 
Jesus  released,  his  followers,  though  they  were  very 
numerous,  and  might  have  made  a  great  appearance  in 
his  behalf,  remained  absolutely  silent,  as  if  they  had 
been  speechless,  or  infatuated.  The  Roman  soldiers, 
notwithstanding  their  general  had  declared  him  innocent, 
insulted  him  in  the  most  inhuman  manner.  The  Scribes 
and  Pharisees  ridiculed  him.  The  common  people,  who 
had  received  him  with  Hosannas  a  few  days  before, 
mocked  him  as  they  passed  by,  and  railed  at  him  as  a 
deceiver.    Nay,  the  very  thief  on  the  cross  reviled  him. 

The  followers  of  the  Blessed  Jesus  had  attached 
themselves  to  him  in  expectation  of  being  raised  to  great 
wealth  and  power  in  his  kingdom,  which  they  imagined 
would  have  been  long  before  established.    But  seeing  no 


54? 


FROM    THE    BIRTH    OF    CHRIST, 


appearance  of  what  they  had  so  long  hoped  for,  they 
permitted  him  to  be  condemned,  perhaps  because  they 
thought  it  would  have  obliged  him  to  break  the  Roman 
yoke  by  miracle. 

With  respect  to  the  soldiers,  they  were  angry  that  any 
one  should  pretend  to  royalty  in  Judea,  where  Caesar 
had  established  his  authority.  Hence  they  insulted  our 
Blessed  Saviour  with  the  title  of  king,  and  paid  him,  in 
mockery,  the  honors  of  a  sovereign. 

As  for  the  common  people,  they  seem  to  have  lost  their 
opinion  of  him,  probably  because  he  had  not  rescued 
himself  when  they  condemned  him.  They  began,  there- 
fore, to  consider  the  story  of  his  destroying  the  temple, 
and  building  it  in  three  days,  as  a  kind  of  blasphemy, 
because  it  required  Divine  power  to  execute  such  an  un- 
dertaking. 

The  priests  and  scribes  were  filled  with  the  most  im- 
placable and  diabolical  malice  against  him ;  because  he  had 
torn  off  their  masks  of  hypocrisy,  and  shewn  them  to  the 
people  in  their  full  colors.  It  is  therefore  no  wonder  that 
they  ridiculed  his  miracles  from  whence  he  derived  his 
reputation. 

The  thief  also  fancied  that  he  must  have  delivered  both 
himself  and  them,  if  he  had  been  the  Messiah ;  but  as 
no  such  deliverance  appeared,  he  upbraided  him  for 
making  pretensions  to  that  high  character. 

But  now,  serious  reader,  take  one  view  of  thy  dying 
Saviour,  breathing  out  his  life  upon  the  cross !  Behold 
his  unspotted  flesh  lacerated  with  stripes,  by  which  thou 
art  healed !  See  his  hands  extended  and  nailed  to  the 
cross;  those  beneficent  hands,  which  were  incessantly 
stretched  out  to  unloose  the  heavy  burthens,  and  to  im- 
part blessings  of  every  kind !  Behold  his  feet  rivetted  to 
the  accursed  tree  with  nails !  those  feet  which  always 
went  about  doing  good,  and  travelled  far  and  near  to 
spread  the  glad  tidings  of  everlasting  salvation!  View 
his  tender  temples  encircled  with  a  wreath  of  thorns, 
which  shoot  their  keen  afflictive  points  into  his  blessed 
head;  that  head  which  was  ever  meditating  peace  to 
poor  lost  and  undone  sinners,  and  spent  many  a  wakeful 
flight  in  ardent  prayer,  for  their  happiness!    See  him 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  55 

laboring  in  the  agonies  of  death!  Breathing  out  his  soul 
into  the  hands  of  his  Almighty  Father.  and  praying  fox 
his  cruel  enemies !  Was  ever  love  like  this!  Was  eve* 
benevolence  so  finely  displayed! 

()  my  soul,  put  thou  thy  trust  in  that  bleeding,  that 
dying  Saviour!  Then,  though  the  pestilence  walketh  in 
darkness,  and  the  sickness  destroyeth  at  noon  day; 
though  thousands  fall  beside  thee,  and  ten  thousands  at 
thy  right  hand,  thou  needest  not  fear  the  approach  of  any 
evil !  Either  the  destroying  angels  shall  pass  over  thee, 
or  dispense  the  corrections  of  a  friend,  not  the  scourges 
of  an  enemy,  which,  instead  of  hurting,  will  work  for  thy 
good.  Then,  though  profaneness  and  infidelity,  far  more 
malignant  evils,  breathe  their  contagion,  and  taint  multi- 
tudes around  thee,  thou  shalt  be  safely  hid  in  the  hollow 
of  his  hand,  and  freed  from  every  danger. 

Come  then,  my  soul,  let  us  take  sanctuary  under  that 
tree  of  life,  the  ignominious  cross  of  thy  bleeding  Saviour :' 
let  us  ily  for  safety  to  that  city  of  refuge,  opened  in  his 
bleeding  wounds.  These  will  prove  a  sacred  hiding- 
place,  not  to  be  pierced  by  the  flames  of  Divine  wrath,  or 
the  fiery  darts  of  temptation.  His  dying  merits,  his  per- 
fect obedience,  will  be  as  rivers  of  water  in  a  dry  jrface, 
or  as  the  shadow  of  a  great  rock  in  a  weary  land. 

But  particularly  in  that  last  tremendous  day,  when  the 
heaven  shall  be  rent  asunder,  and  wrapped  up  like  a 
scroll;  and  his  Almighty  arm  shall  arrest  the  sun  in  his 
career,  aud  dash  the  structure  of  the  universe  to  pieces ; 
when  the  dead,  both  small  aud  great,  shall  be  gathered 
before  the  throne  of  his  glory,  and  the  fates  of  all  man- 
kind hang  on  the  very  point  of  a  final  irreversible  de- 
cision: then,  if  thou  hast  faithfully  trusted  in  him,  and 
made  his  precepts  thy  constant  directors,  shalt  thou  be 
owned  aud  defended  by  him.  O!  reader,  may  both  thou 
that  peruseth,  and  him  who  hath  written  this  for  thy 
soul's  advautage,  be  covered,  at  that  unutterably  im- 
portant juncture,  by  the  wings  of  his  redeeming  love; 
then  shall  we  behold  all  the  horrid  convulsions  of  ex- 
piring nature,  with  composure,  with  comfort!  we  shall 
then  welcome  the  consummation  of  all  things. 


56  FROM    THE   BIRTH    OF   CHRIST, 

But  see  the  sun,  conscious  of  the  suffering  of  his 
Maker,  and  as  it  were  to  hide  his  face  from  this  detesta- 
ble action  of  mortals,  is  wrapped  in  the  pitchy  mantle  of 
chaotic  darkness!  This  preternatural  eclipse  of  the  sun 
continued  for  three  hours,  to  the  great  terror  and  astonish- 
ment of  the  people  present  at  the  execution  of  our  dear  Re- 
deemer. And  surely  nothing  could  be  more  proper  than 
this  extraordinary  alteration  in  the  face  of  nature,  while 
the  sun  of  righteousness  was  withdrawing  his  beams,  not 
only  from  the  promised  land,  but  from  the  whole  world ; 
for  it  was  at  once  a  miraculous  testimony  given  by  the 
Almighty  himself  to  the  innocence  of  his  Son,  and  a 
proper  emblem  of  the  departure  of  him  who  was  the  de- 
light of  the  world,  at  least  till  his  luminous  rays,  like  the 
beams  of  the  morning,  shone  out  a-new  with  additional 
splendor,  in  the  ministry  of  his  apostles. 

Nor  was  the  darkness  which  now  covered  Judea,  and 
the  neighboring  countries,  beginning  about  noon  and  con- 
tinuing till  Jesus  expired,  the  effect  of  an  ordinary 
eclipse  of  the  sun.  It  is  well  known  that  these  phe- 
nomena can  only  happen  at  the  change  of  the  moon; 
whereas  the  Jewish  passover,  at  which  time  our  dear 
Redeemer  suffered,  was  always  celebrated  at  the  full. 
Besides,  the  total  darkness  of  an  eclipse  of  the  sun  never 
exceeds  twelve  or  fifteen  minutes,  whereas  this  continued 
three  full  hours.  Nothing,  therefore,  but  the  immediate 
hand  of  that  Almighty  Being,  which  placed  the  suu  in 
the  centre  of  the  planetary  system,  could  have  produced 
this  astonishing  darkness.  Nothing  but  Omnipotence, 
who  first  lighted  this  glorious  luminary  of  heaven,  could 
have  deprived  it  of  its  cheering  rays.  Now,  ye  scoffers 
of  Israel,  whose  blood  ye  have  so  earnestly  desired,  and 
wished  it  might  fall  upon  you  and  your  children,  behold., 
all  nature  is  dressed  in  the  sable  veil  of  sorrow,  and  in  a 
language  tiiat  cannot  be  mistaken,  mourns  the  departure 
of  its  Lord  and  Master;  weeps  for  your  crimes,  and 
deprecates  the  vengeance  of  heaven  upon  your  guilty 
heads !  Happy  for  you  that  this  suffering  Jesus  is  com- 
passion itself,  and,  even  in  the  agonies  of  death,  prays  to 
his  heavenly  Father  to  avert  from  you  the  stroke  of  his 
justice! 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVE&.  ^7 

This  preternatural  eclipse  of  the  sun  was  considered 
as  a  miracle  by  Hie  heathens  themselves;  and  one  of 
them  cried  out,  Either  the  world  is  at  an  end,  or  the  God 
uf  nature  suffers.  And  well  might  lie  use  the  expression : 
for  never,  since  this  planetary  system  was  called  from  its 
primitive  chaos,  was  known  such  a  deprivation  of  light 
in  the  glorious  luminary  of  day.  Indeed,  when  the  Al- 
nighty  punished  Pharaoh,  for  refusing  to  let  the  children 
of  Israel  depart  out  of  his  land,  the  sable  veil  of  darkness 
was  for  three  days  drawn  over  Egypt.  But  this  darkness 
was  confined  to  a  part  of  his  kingdom:  whereas  this  that 
happened  at  our  Saviour's  crucifixion  was  universal. 

When  the  darkness  began,  the  disciples  naturally 
considered  it  as  a  prelude  to  the  deliverance  of  their 
master.  For  though  the  chief  priests,  elders,  and  people, 
had  sarcastically  desired  him  to  descend  from  the  ac- 
cursed tree,  his  friends  could  not  but  be  persuaded,  that 
he  who  had  delivered  so  many  from  incurable  diseases, 
who  had  created  limbs  for  the  maimed,  and  eyes  for  the 
blind;  who  had  given  speech  to  the  dumb,  and  called  the 
dead  from  the  chambers  of  the  dust,  might  easily  save 
himself,  even  from  the  cross. 

When,  therefore,  his  mother,  his  mother's  sister, 
Mary  Magdalene,  and  the  beloved  disciple  John,  (all  of 
whom  were  dismal  spectators  of  this  unparalleled  tragedy) 
observed  the  veil  of  darkness  begin  to  extend  over  the 
face  of  nature,  they  drew  near  to  the  foot  of  the  cross, 
probably  in  expectation  that  the  son  of  God  was  going  to 
shake  the  frame  of  the  universe,  unloose  himself  from  the 
cross,  and  take  ample  vengeance  on  his  cruel  and  per- 
fidious enemies. 

The  Blessed  Jesus  was  now  in  the  midst  of  his  suffer- 
ings. Yet,  when  he  saw  his  mother  and  her  companions, 
their  grief  greatly  affected  his  tender  breast,  but  more  es- 
pecially the  distress  of  his  mother.  The  agonies  of  death, 
under  which  he  was  now  laboring,  could  not  prevent  his 
expressing  the  most  affectionate  regard,  both  for  her  and 
for  them.  And  therefore  that  she  might  have  some  con- 
solation to  support  her  under  the  greatness  of  her  sorrows, 
he  told  her,  the  disciple  whom  he  loved  would,  for  the 
sake  of  that  love,  supply  his  place  to  her  after  he  was 

vol.  iv.        H 


58 


FROM   THE   BIRTH    OF   CHRIST, 


taken  away  from  them,  even  the  place  of  a  son ;  and  there- 
fore he  desired  her  to  consider  him  as  such,  and  expect 
from  him  all  the  duties  of  a  child.  Woman  (said  he)  be- 
hold thy  son  !    „ 

Nor  was  this  remarkable  token  of  filial  affection  to- 
wards his  mother,  the  only  instance  the  dying  Jesus  gave 
of  his  sincere  love  to  his  friends  and  followers;  the  be- 
loved disciple  John  had  also  a  token  of  his  high  esteem. 
He  singled  him  out  as  the  only  person  among  his  friends 
to  supply  his  place  with  regard  to  his  mo  her.  Accord- 
ingly, he  desired  him  expressly  to  reverence  her  in  the 
same  manner  as  if  she  had  been  his  own  parent.  A  duty 
which  the  favorite  disciple  gladly  undertook,  carried  her 
with  him  to  his  house,  and  maintained  her  from  that  hour 
to  the  day  of  her  death,  her  husband  Joseph,  having,  it 
seems,  been  dead  some  time. 

Thus,  in  the  midst  of  the  heaviest  sufferings  that  human 
nature  ever  sustained,  the  Blessed  Jesus  demonstrated  a 
Divine  strength  of  benevolence.  Even  at  the  time  when 
his  own  distress  was  at  the  highest  pitch,  and  nature  was 
dressed  in  the  robe  of  mourning  for  the  sufferings  of  the 
Redeemer  of  mankind ;  his  friends  had  so  large  a  share 
of  his  concern,  that  their  happiness  interrupted  the  sharp- 
ness of  his  pains,  and,  for  a  short  time,  engrossed  his 
thoughts. 

But  now  the  moment,  when  he  should  resign  his  soul 
into  the  hands  of  his  heavenly  Father,  approached,  and 
he  repeated  part,  at  least,  of  the  twenty-second  psalm,  ut- 
tering, with  a  loud  voice,  these  remarkable  words,  Eli, 
Eli,  lama  sabachthaniP  that  is,  My  God,  my  God,  why 
hast  thou  forsaken  me  !  Or,  as  the  words  may  be  render- 
ed, My  God,  my  God,  hoiv  long  a  time  hast  thou  forsaken 
me  /* 


*  It  is  the  opinion  of  some  that  our  Blessed  Saviour  repeated  th* 
whole  Psalm;  it  being  the  custom  of  the  Jews,  in  making  quotations, 
to  mention  only  the  first  words  of  the  Psalm  or  section,  which  they 
cite.  If  so,  as  this  Psalm  contains  the  most  remarkable  particulars 
of  our  dear  Redeemer's  passion,  being,  as  it  were,  a  summary  of  all 
the  prophecies  relative  to  that  subject,  by  repeating  it  on  the  cross, 
the  Blessed  Jesus  signified  that  he  was  now  accomplishing  the 
things  that  were  predicted  concerning  the  Messiah.  And  as  this 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION     IXTO    HEAVEN.  ^9 

Some  of  the  people  who  stood  by,  when  they  heard  our 
Blessed  Saviour  pronounce  these  words,  misunderstood 
him;  probably  from  their  not  hearing  him  distinctly,  and 
concluded  that  he  called  for  Elias.  Upon  which  one  of 
them  filled  a  spunge  with  vinegar,  put  it  on  a  reed,  and 
gave  him  to  drink;  being  desirous  to  keep  him  alive  as 
long  as  possible,  to  see  whether  Elias  would  come  to 
take  lii in  down  from  the  cross.  Hut  as  soon  as  Jesus  had 
tasted  the  vinegar,  he  said,  it  is  finished.  That  is,  the 
work  of  man's  redemption  is  accomplished;  that  great 
work  which  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God  came  into  the 
World  to  perform,  is  finished.  In  speaking  these  words, 
he  cried  with  an  exceeding  loud  voice;  after  which  he 
addressed  his  Almighty  Father  in  these  words :  Father, 
into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit;  having  uttered 
which,  he  bowed  his  head,  and  yielded  up  the  ghost. 

But  behold !  at  the  very  instant  that  the  Blessed  Jesus 
resigned  his  soul  into  the  hands  of  his  heavenly  Father, 
the  vail  of  the  temple  was  miraculously  rent,  from  the  top 
to  the  bottom ;  the  earth  trembled,  from  its  very  founda- 
tions, the  flinty  rocks  burst  asunder,  and  the  sepulchres 
hewn  in  them  were  opened;  and  many  bodies  of  saints 
deposited  there  awakened  after  his  resurrection,  from  the 
sleep  of  death,  left  the  gloomy  chambers  of  the  tomb, 
went  into  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  and  appeared  unto  many. 

And  as  the  rending  the  vail  of  the  temple  intimated, 
that  the  entrance  into  the  holy  place,  the  type  of  heaven, 
was  now  laid  open  to  all  nations ;  so  the  resurrection  of  a 
number  of  saints  from  the  dead  demonstrated,  that  the 
power  of  death,  and  the  grave,  was  broken ;  the  sting  was 
taken  from  death,  and  the  victory  wrested  from  the  grave. 
In  short,  our  dear  Redeemer's  conquests  over  the  euemies 
of  mankind  were  shewn  to  be  complete ;  and  an  earnest 
was  given  of  the  general  resurrection  of  the  dead. 

Nor  did  the  remarkable  particulars  which  attended 
that  awful  period,  when  Jesus  gave  up  the  ghost,  affect 
the  natives  of  Judea  only.   The  Roman  centurion,  who 

psalm  is  composed  in  the  form  of  a  prayer,  by  pronouncing  it,  at 
this  time,  he  also  claimed  of  his  Father  the  performance  of  all  the 
promises  he  had  made,  whether  to  him,  or  to  his  people,  the  chief  of 
which  are  recorded  in  the  latter  part  of  the  Psalm. 


60 


FROM    THE   BIRTH    OF    CHRIST, 


was  placed  near  the  cross  to  prevent  disorders  of  any 
kind,  glorified  the  Almighty,  and  cried  out,  Truly  this 
man  was  the  Son  of  God! 

The  people  had  been  very  desirous  of  having  him  cru- 
cified ;  but  when  they  saw  the  face  of  the  creation  wrapped 
in  the  gloomy  mantle  of  darkness  during  his  crucifixion, 
and  found  his  death  accompanied  with  an  earthquake,  as 
if  nature  had  been  in  an  agony  when  he  died,  they  right- 
ly interpreted  these  prodigies  to  be  so  many  testimonies 
of  his  inuocence ;  and  their  passions,  which  had  been  in- 
flamed and  exasperated  against  him,  became  quite  calm, 
or  rather  exerted  in  his  favor.  Some  were  angry  with 
themselves  for  having  neglected  the  opportunity  the  gov- 
ernor gave  them  of  saving  his  life.  Some  were  stung  with 
remorse  for  having  been  active  in  procuring  Pilate  to  con- 
demn him,  and  even  offering  the  most  bitter  insults  while 
he  labored  under  the  most  cruel  sufferings.  And  others 
were  deeply  affected  at  beholding  the  pains  he  suffered, 
which  were  undeservedly  severe. 

These  various  passions,  being  visibly  painted  in  their 
countenances,  afforded  a  melancholy  spectacle ;  the  whole 
multitude  returned  from  the  cruel  execution  with  their 
eyes  fixed  on  the  earth,  pensive  and  silent;  their  hearts 
were  ready  to  burst  with  grief,  they  groaned  within  them- 
selves, and  as  they  walked,  smote  themselves  on  their 
breasts.  Jlnd  all  the  people  that  came  together  to  that 
sight,  beholding  the  things  which  were  done,  smote  their 
breasts  and  returned.  John  xxiii.  48.  The  grief  they 
now  felt  for  the  Blessed  Jesus  arose  from  a  very  different 
principle  to  that  which  had  occasioned  their  former  rage 
against  him.  The  latter  was  entirely  owing  to  the  artful 
insinuations  of  their  priests ;  whereas  their  grief  was  gen- 
uine, and  the  natural  feeling  of  their  own  hearts,  greatly 
affected  with  the  truth  and  innocence  of  him,  who  was  the 
object  of  their  commiseration.  And  as  flattery  had  no 
share  in  their  mourning,  so  the  expressions  of  their  sorrow 
were  such  as  distinguished  the  real  sentiments  and  feel- 
ings of  their  hearts. 

Thus  was  demonstrated,  by  many  awful  tokens,  the 
truth,  the  divinity,  and  the  power  of  our  Redeemer's 
mission.    And  thus  were  the  blind  and  deluded  Jews 


TO   HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HBAVEN.  6l 

■track  with  horror  at  what  they  had  beheld,  being  fully 
convinced;  that  the  person  they  had  cruelly  put  to  death 

was  no  other  than  the  Son  of  God — the  promised  Mes- 
siah— the  Saviour  of  the  world. 


CHAP.  XIV. 

Our  Blessed  Lord  is  treated  with  indignity  after  his  crucifixion. 
Joseph  of  .Irimalhea  legs  his  body  of  Pilate,  in  order  for  in- 
terment. Pilate  complies  with  his  request*  upon  which  Joseph, 
assisted  by  Nicodemns,  takes  away  the  body,  and  deposits  it 
in  a  sepulchre  which  he  had  made  for  himself.  The  sepul- 
ehre  is  guarded  by  a  body  of  Roman  soldiers.  Our  Saviour's 
resurrection  notified  by  angels,  and  testified  by  Mary  Mag- 
dalene, but  not  believed.  Our  Lord  appeareth  to  Mary.  The 
soldiers  appointed  to  guard  the  door  of  the  sepulchre,  being 

frightened  at  the  appearance  of  an  angel,  ivho  rolls  away 
the  stone  that  was  placed  against  it,  fly  to  Jerusalem.  They 
relate  the  particulars  of  what  they  had  seen  to  the  heads  of  the 
Sanhedrim,  who  bribe  them  to  give  it  out  that  our  Lord's  body 
7vas  stolen  away  by  his  disciples  while  themselves  were  asleep. 
Our  Lord  appears  to  two  of  his  disciples  as  they  are  on  their 
way  to  Emmaus,  with  whom  he  converses  for  some  time,  and 
then  disappears.  The  ttvo  disciples  go  to  Jerusalem,  and  re- 
port what  had  passed  to  the  rest  of  their  companions,  some  of 
whom  are  doubtful  of  the  truth  of  their  relation.  While  they 
arc  in  debate  together,  our  Saviour  suddenly  appears  among 
them,  removes  their  doubts,  chastises  them  for  their  incredu- 
lity, and  gives  them  several  important  instructions  relative 
to  their  future  conduct.  He  again  appears  to  liis  apostles, 
and  convinces  llwmas  (who  happened  to  be  absent  at  the 
time  of  his  former  appearance  J  of  the  reality  of  his  resur- 
rection. Our  Lord  appears  to  Peter,  and  others,  as  they  are 

fishing,  and  performs  a  miracle;  after  which  he  particular- 
ly converses  with  Peter.  He  appears  to  his  apostles  for  the 
last  time,  and  after  some  conversation^  and  bestowing  on 
them  his  benediction,  visibly  ascends  into  heaven. 

THE  day  on  which  our  Blessed  Lord  suffered  was 
the  eve,  or  preparation  for  the  Paschal  Festival,  which, 


63  FROM    THE    BIRTH   OF   CHRIST, 

that  year,  happened  to  fall  on  the  Jewish  sabbath-day,  and 
was,  therefore,  a  feast  and  sabbath  together.  That  so 
great  and  solemn  a  day  might  not  be  prephaned*  by  the 
suspension  of  the  bodies  on  the  crosses,  the  rulers  of  the 
Jews  went  to  Pilate,  requesting  of  him  that  their  legs 
might  be  broken  to  hasten  their  deaths,  and  that  their 
bodies  might  be  taken  down*  Pilate  readily  gave  his 
consent,  upon  which  they  returned  to  the  place  of  execu- 
tion, and  immediately  caused  the  first  ceremony  to  be  per- 
formed on  the  two  thieves :  But,  when  the  soldiers  came 
to  Jesus,  and  found  him  already  dead,  instead  of  breaking 
his  legs,  one  of  them  pierced  his  side  with  a  spear,  from 
which  issued  out  a  great  quantity  of  blood  and  water. 

This  wound  was  of  the  greatest  importance  to  mankind, 
as  it  abundantly  demonstrated  the  truth  of  our  Saviour's 
death,  and  consequently  prevented  any  objection  being 
made  by  those  who  were  enemies  to  the  Gospel  dispen- 
sation. The  Evangelist  adds,  that  the  legs  of  our  Great 
Redeemer  were  not  broken,  but  his  side  pierced,  that  two 
particular  prophecies  might  be  fulfilled.  A  bone  of  him 
shall  not  be  broken,  and  they  shall  look  on  him  whom  they 
have  pierced. 

Among  the  disciples  of  our  Lord  was  one  named  Jo- 
seph, a  man  of  great  wealth  and  honor,  born  in  Arima- 
thea,  and  not  improbably  one  of  the  council  of  the  San- 
hedrim, but  Avho  stood  in  some  fear  of  them  while  our 
Saviour  was  alive.  After  his  death,  however,  he  took 
courage,  and  going  to  Pilate,  begged  that  he  might  take 

*  The  Jews  had  a  strict  injunction  in  their  law,  that  the  bodies  of 
those  who  Mere  executed  should  not  hang  all  night, hut  by  all  means 
be  buried  the  same  day,  Deut.  xxi.  22,2.3.  But  the  Romans  were  ac- 
customed to  do  otherwise;  they  suffered  the  bodies  to  hang  on  the 
cross  some  time  after  they  were  dead,  and,  in  some  cases,  a  con- 
siderable time  longer.  It  is  probable  the  rulers  of  the  Jews  would 
have  left  the  Romans  to  follow  their  own  custom  at  this  time,  had  it 
not  been  for  the  near  approach  of  their  passover,  the  festivity  attend- 
ing which  they  thought  might  be  damped  by  so  melancholy  a  sight. 
On  this  account  it  was  thai  they  petitioned  Pilate  to  have  them  re- 
moved; and  the  reason  why  Pilate  might  be  rather  induced  to  grant 
their  request,  was  that  the  Romans  themselves  had  such  respect  for 
the  feast-days  of  their  emperors,  that  if  any  executions  happened  at 
those  particular  periods,  they  always  took  down  their  bodies,  and  de- 
livered them  to  their  friends. 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION'    INTO    HEAVEN.  65 

away  the  body  of  his  Great  Master,  well  knowing  that  if 
Mich  a  giant  was  not  obtained,  it  would  be  ignomiuiously 
cast  away  with  the  two  criminals  that  had  sutl'ered  witti 
him. 

Pilate  was  greatly  surprized  at  the  request  of  Joseph, 
thinking  it  highly  improbable  that  our  Lord  should  be 
dead  in  so  short  a  time.  He  had,  indeed,  given  orders 
for  the  soldiers  to  break  the  legs  of  the  crucified  persons, 
but  he  kuew  it  was  common  for  them  to  live  many  hours 
after  that  operation  was  performed ;  for  though  the  pain 
they  felt  must  be  exquisite  to  the  last  degree,  yet,  as  the 
vital  parts  remained  untouched,  life  would  continue  some 
time  in  the  miserable  body.  Pilate,  therefore,  called  the 
centurion  to  know  the  truth  of  what  Joseph  had  told  him; 
and  being  convinced  from  his  answer  that  Jesus  had  been 
dead  some  time,  he  readily  complied  with  his  request. 

In  consequence  of  this,  Joseph  immediately  repaired  to 
Mount  Calvary,  and  with  the  assistance  of  Nicodemus,* 
(another  private  disciple  of  our  Lord's)  took  the  body 
from  the  cross.  Nieodemus  had  been  iu  such  fear  of  the 
Sanhedrim,  and  therefore  was  so  cautious  of  being  seen 
to  visit  Jesus,  that  he  always  went  to  him  by  night.  But 
in  paying  the  last  duties  to  his  Master,  he  did  not  make 
use  of  any  measures  to  conceal  his  affection  for  him.  He 
shewed  a  courage  and  respect  far  superior  to  any  of  the 
apostles,  not  only  assisting  Joseph  in  taking  the  body  of 
Jesus  from  the  cross,  but  likewise  bringing  with  him 
spices  and  various  perfumes  properly  to  prepare  it  for  in- 
terment. 

Not  far  from  the  place  of  execution  was  a  garden  be- 
longing to  Joseph,  in  which  he  had  a  short  time  before 
hewn  out  of  a  rock  a  sepulchre  for  his  own  private  iuter- 
ment.    Having,  therefore,  embalmed  our  Saviour's  body, 

*  This  is  the  same  ruler  of  the  Jews  and  Master  of  Israel  (as  the 
Evangelist  calls  him,  John  iii.  1,  lu.)  who,  at  our  Lord's  first  com- 
in^;  to  Jerusalem,  after  lie  had  entered  upon  his  ministry,  held  a 
private  conference  with  him.  and  for  ever  after  was  his  disciple, 
(hough  he  made  no  open  profession  of  it  till  after  our  Lord's  death. 
There  is  some  reason  to  imagine  that  when  the  Jews  came  to  be  in- 
formed of  his  conduct,  and  that  he  had  been  in  his  heart  one  of  our 
Lord's  disciples,  they  deposed  him  from  the  dignity  of  a  senator, 
excommunicated  lrim.  and  drove  him  out  of  Jerusalem. 


61  FROM   THE   BIRTH   OF   CHRIST, 

and  wound  it  up  in  clean  linen  cloths,  they  there  interred 
it,  and,  with  a  large  stone  cut  out  of  the  rock  for  the  pur- 
pose, closed  the  mouth  of  the  sepulchre. 

Here  we  must  make  a  short  digression  to  contemplate 
on  the  wonderful  contents  of  this  repository  of  the  dead. 
He  who  clothes  himself  with  light  as  with  a  garment,  and 
walks  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind,  was  pleased  to  wear 
the  habiliments  of  mortality,  and  dwell  among  the  pros- 
trate dead!  Who  can  repeat  the  wondrous  truths  too 
often?  Who  can  dwell  upon  the  enchanting  theme  too 
long?  He  who  sits  enthroned  in  glory,  and  diffuses  bliss 
among  all  the  heavenly  host,  was  once  a  pale  and  bloody 
corpse,  and  pressed  the  floor  of  this  little  sepulchre !  O 
death !  how  great  was  thy  triumph  in  that  hour !  never 
did  thy  gloomy  realms  contain  such  a  prisoner  before — - 
Prisoner,  did  I  say?  No,  he  was  more  than  Conqueror. 
He  arose  far  more  mighty  than  Samson  from  a  transient 
slumber;  broke  down  the  gates,  and  demolished  the 
strong  holds  of  those  dark  dominions.  And  this,  O  mor- 
tals, is  your  consolation  and  security.  Jesus,  sleeping  in 
the  chambers  of  the  tomb,  has  brightened  the  dismal 
mansion,  and  left  an  inviting  odor  in  those  beds  of  dust. 
The  dying  Jesus  is  your  sure  protection,  your  unquestion- 
able passport,  through  the  territories  of  the  grave.  Be- 
lieve in  him,  and  they  shall  prove  an  highway  to  Sion; 
shall  transmit  you  safe  to  Paradise.  Believe  in  him,  and 
you  shall  be  no  losers,  but  unspeakable  gainers  by  your 
dissolution.  For  hear  what  the  oracle  of  heaven  says,  on 
this  important  point;  whoso  believeth  in  me  shall  never 
die.  Death  shall  no  longer  be  inflicted  as  a  punishment, 
but  rather  vouchsafed  as  a  blessing.  The  exit  is  the  end 
of  their  frailty,  and  their  entrance  upon  perfection :  their 
last  groan  is  the  prelude  to  life  and  immortality. — But  to 
return. 

Mary  Magdalene,  and  some  other  women  of  Galilee, 
who  had  watched  their  dear  Redeemer  in  his  last  mo- 
ments, and  had  accompanied  his  body  to  the  sepulchre  in 
Joseph's  garden,  observing  that  the  funeral  rites  were 
performed  in  a  hurry,  and  therefore  not  satisfactory  to 
their  wishes,  agreed  among  themselves,  as  soon  as  the 
sabbath  should  be  over,  to  return  to  the  sepulchre,  and 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  6j 

embalm  the  body  of  their  dead  Saviour,  by  anointing  and 
swathing  him  in  the  manner  then  common  among  the 
Jews.  Accordingly,  they  returned  to  the  city,  and  pur- 
chased spices  of  various  sorts,  with  other  articles,  neces- 
sary for  that  purpose. 

On  the  sabbath-day  the  rulers  of  the  .Tews  weut  to 
Pilate  and  informed  him,  "  That  our  Lord  (whom  they 
called  an  impostor)  having,  in  his  life-time,  made  it  his 
boast,  that  on  the  third  day,  he  would  rise  again  from 
the  dead,  they  therefore  requested  of  him,  that  he  would 
order  the  sepulchre  to  be  kept  under  a  strong  guard  until 
that  day  was  passed,  lest  his  disciples  should  steal  him 
away  by  night,  and  then  give  it  out,  that  he  was  risen 
from  the  dead,  which  might  prove  a  more  dangerous  se- 
duction to  the  people,  than  any  thing  they  had  yet  fallen 
into." 

This  request  being  thought  reasonable  by  Pilate,  he 
gave  them  leave  to  take  as  many  soldiers  as  they  pleased 
out  of  the  cohort,  which,  at  the  feast,  kept  guard  in  the 
porticos  of  the  temple. 

The  priests,  having  thus  obtained  a  guard  of  Roman 
soldiers,  men  long  accustomed  to  military  duties,  and 
therefore  the  most  proper  for  watching  the  body,  set  out 
with  them  to  the  sepulchre;  and  to  prevent  them  from 
combining  with  the  disciples  in  carrying  on  any  fraud, 
placed  them  at  their  post,  and  sealed  the  stone  which  was 
rolled  at  the  door  of  the  sepulchre.  But  what  was  de- 
signed to  expose  the  mission  and  doctrine  of  Jesus  as 
rank  falsehood  and  vile  imposture,  proved  in  fact,  the 
strongest  confirmation  of  the  truth  and  divinity  of  the 
same  that  could  possibly  be  given ;  and  placed,  what  the 
Jewish  rulers  wanted  to  refute  (which  was  his  resurrec- 
tion from  the  dead)  even  beyond  a  doubt. 

Early  the  next  morning,  even  at  break  of  day,  Mary 
Magdalene,  with  Mary  the  mother  of  James,  and  the 
other  women,  who,  on  the  Friday  evening,  had  prepared 
spices  and  perfumes,  went  to  the  sepulchre  to  embalm 
again  our  Saviour's  body,  ignorant  of  the  guard  that  was 
placed  before  the  sepulchre.  Their  whole  care  and  con- 
sultation on  the  way  was,  how  they  might  get  the  large 
stone,  that  was  at  the  entrance,  removed.    But,  before 

vox.  iv.        I 


66  EEOM   THE   BIRTH   OF   CHRIST, 

they  arrived  at  the  place,  an  angel  from  heaven  had  rolled 
it  away,  and  sat  upon  it;  at  the  sight  of  whom  (for  his 
counteuance  was  like  lightning)  and  at  the  noise  of 
an  earthquake,  which  accompanied  his  appearance,  the 
guards  fell  down  like  so  many  dead  men.  By  this  means 
when  the  women  arrived  at  the  place  they  had  free  en- 
trance into  the  sepulchre,  but  were  not  a  little  astonished 
at  looking  in  to  find  an  angel,  in  a  refulgent  habit,  sitting 
in  the  place  where  the  body  had  laid.  Frightened  at  so 
unexpected  a  sight,  they  were  on  the  point  of  turning 
back,  when  the  heavenly  messenger,  to  banish  their  fears, 
told  them,  in  a  gentle  accent,  that  he  knew  their  errand. 
Fear  not  (said  he)  for  I  know  that  ye  seek  Jesus  which 
was  crucified.  He  is  not  here;  for  he  is  risen  as  he  said. 
He  then  invited  them  to  go  down  into  the  sepulchre,  and 
view  the  place  where  the  Sou  of  God  had  lain;  that  is,, 
to  look  on  the  linen  clothes  and  the  napkin  that  was 
about  his  head,  and  which  he  had  left  behind  him  when 
lie  arose  from  the  dead. 

The  women,  encouraged  by  the  agreeable  manner  in 
which  the  angel  had  spoke,  went  down  into  the  sepul- 
chre, when,  behold,  there  appeared  before  them  another 
of  the  angelic  choir.  This  Divine  messenger  gently  chid 
them  for  seeking  the  living  among  the  dead,  and  for  not 
remembering  the  words  which  their  great  Master  had 
himself  told  them  with  regard  to  his  own  resurrection. 
Why  seek  ye  the  living  among  the  dead?  He  is  not  here? 
but  is  risen;  remember  how  he  spake  unto  you  when  he 
urns  yet  in  Galilee,  saying,  the  son  of  man  must  be  de- 
livered into  the  hands  of  sinful  men,  and  be  crucified,  and 
the  third  day  rise  again. 

When  the  women  had  satisfied  their  curiosity  by  look- 
ing at  the  place  where  our  Lord  had  lain,  and  where 
nothing  was  to  be  found  but  the  linen  clothes  which  were 
wrapped  round  his  body,  and  the  napkin  about  his  head, 
the  angel,  who  first  appeared  to  them,  bade  them  go  im- 
mediately and  tell  his  disciples  (but  particularly  Peter) 
the  glad  tidings  of  his  resurrection  from  the  dead :  that 
he  was  going  before  them  to  Galilee :  and  that  they  should 
there  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  him. 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  6/ 

In  obedience  to  these  commands,  the  Women  Inline 
diately  left  the  sepulchre,  and  hastened  to  find  oul  the. 
apostles,  which  they  had  no  sooner  done,  than  Mary 
Magdalene  related  to  them  all  they  had  heard  and  seen; 
but  they,  instead  of  believing  them,  looked  upon  all  they 
said  as  nothing  more  than  the  product  of  a  weak  and 
frightened  imagination.  Out  of  curiosity,  however,  Peter 
and  John  ran  to  the  sepulchre,  and  found  all  they  had 
said  to  be  true,  the  body  being  gone,  the  burying  clothes 
lying  on  the  ground,  and  the  napkin,  which  was  about 
our  Lord's  head,  folded  and  laid  by  itself.  But  notwith- 
standing this,  such  was  their  incredulity  with  respect  to 
his  being  risen  from  the  dead,  that  they  returned  quietly 
home,  not  supposing  any  thing  else  but  that  some  person 
or  other  had  taken  away  the  body. 

Mary  Magdalene,  however,  who  had  returned  with 
Peter  and  John,  stayed  behind,  and  continued  weeping 
at  the  door  of  the  sepulchre.  She  could  not  yet  under- 
stand what  was  meant  by  the  angel's  telling  her  our  Lord 
was  riseu  from  the  dead,  and  therefore  was  exceeding 
anxious  to  find  the  body.  Accordingly,  going  down  into 
the  sepulchre  to  examine  it  once  more,  she  saw  two  angels, 
the  one  sitting  at  the  head,  and  the  other  at  the  feet 
where  the  body  of  Jesus  had  lain.  On  beholding  these 
heavenly  messengers  dressed  in  the  robes  of  light,  she 
was  greatly  terrified.  But  her  fears  were  greatly  miti- 
gated by  their  asking  her,  in  the  most  endearing  accent, 
this  question:  Woman,  why  weepest  thouP  To  which  she 
replied,  Because  they  have  taken  away  my  Lord,  and  I 
know  not  where  they  have  laid  him.  On  pronouncing 
these  words  she  turned  herself  about,  and  saw  Jesus 
standing  near  her;  but  the  terror  she  was  in,  aud  the  gar- 
ments in  which  he  now  appeared,  prevented  her,  for  some 
time,  from  knowing  him.  Jesus  repeated  the  same  ques- 
tion before  put  to  her  by  the  angels :  Woman  (said  he) 
why  iceepest  thou?  To  which  Mary  (who  now  supposed 
him  to  be  the  gardener)  answered,  Sir,  if  thou  have  borne 
him  hence,  tell  me  where  thou  hast  laid  him,  and  I  will 
take  him  away.  But  our  Blessed  Lord,  being  willing  to 
remove  her  anxiety,  called  her  by  her  name,  with  his 
usual  tone  of  voice.   On  this  she  immediately  knew  hiui, 


68  EROM    THE   BIRTH    OF    CHRIST, 

and,  falling  down,  would  have  embraced  his  knee,  ac- 
cording to  that  modesty  and  reverence  with  which  the 
women  of  the  east  saluted  the  men,  more  especially  those 
who  were  their  superiors.  But  Jesus  refused  this  com- 
pliment, telling  her  that  he  was  not  immediately  going  to 
ascend  to  his  father.  At  the  same  time  he  said  unto  her, 
Go  to  my  brethren,  and  say  unto  them.  I  ascend  to  my 
Father,  and  your  Father;  and  to  my  God,  and  your  God ; 
intimating  that  he  had  risen  from  the  dead,  and  should, 
in  a  short  time,  totally  leave  the  world,  and  ascend  into 
heaven. 

The  kindness  of  this  message,  sent  by  our  dear  Re- 
deemer  to  his  disciples,  will  appear  above  all  praise,  if 
we  remember  their  late  behavior.  They  had  every .  one 
of  them  forsaken  him  in  the  greatest  extremity.  When 
he  was  scourged  and  mocked  by  the  Roman  soldiers,  de- 
rided by  his  countrymen,  and  spitefully  treated  by  all, 
they  hid  themselves  in  some  place  of  safety,  and  preferred 
their  own  security  to  the  deliverance  of  their  Master. 
Simon,  a  Cyrenian,  was  compelled,  by  the  Roman 
soldiers,  to  ease  him  of  his  ponderous  burthen.  But,  not- 
withstanding they  had  refused  to  assist  their  Master, 
during  his  sufferings  for  the  sins  of  the  world,  he 
graciously,  he  freely  forgave  them ;  he  assured  them  of 
their  pardon,  and  called  them  even  by  the  endearing 
name  of  brethren. 

In  the  mean  time  the  guards,  who  had  been  appointed 
to  watch  the  sepulchre  in  which  our  Lord  was  laid,  and 
was  frightened  at  the  appearance  of  the  angel  that  sat  on 
the  stone  which  had  fastened  up  the  mouth  of  it,  fled  into 
the  city,  and  related  all  that  had  happened  to  the  chief 
priests  and  rulers  of  the  Sanhedrim.  In  consequence  of 
this  a  general  council  was  immediately  summoned,  in 
order  to  consult  what  was  to  be  done  in  an  affair  of  so 
important  a  nature.  After  various  debates,  they  at  length 
resolved  to  bribe  the  soldiers  with  a  large  sum  of  money, 
and  thereby  engage  them  to  give  it  out  among  the  people, 
that  while  themselves  were  asleep,  the  disciples  of  Jesus 
came,  and  stole  him  away;  promising  them  withal,  that, 
in  case  this  their  pretended  neglect  should  come  to  the. 
ears  of  the  governor,  they  would  take  care  to  pacify  him. 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  GO 

The  soldiers  readily  accepted  this  offer,  took  the  money, 
and  strictly  obeyed  the  orders  of  their  masters.  And  the 
report  they  propagated,  in  consequence  of  this,  was  cur- 
rent among  the  Jews  for  many  years  after. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day  on  which  our  Blessed 
Lord  arose  from  the  dead,  two  of  his  disciples  left  Jeru- 
salem, in  order  to  go  to  a  village  called  Emmaus,  about 
two  miles  distant.  The  concern  they  were  in  on  account 
of  the  death  of  their  great  and  beloved  Master  was  suffi- 
ciently visible  in  their  countenances ;  and  as  they  pursued 
their  journey  talking  to  each  other  about  the  things  that 
bad  lately  happened  among  them  concerning  the  life  and 
doctrine,  the  sufferings  and  death  of  the  holy  Jesus,  and 
of  the  report  that  was  just  spread  of  his  being  that  very 
morning  risen  from  the  dead,  Jesus  himself  appeared  and 
joined  company  with  them. 

As  our  Lord  looked  like  a  stranger,  the  two  disciples 
had  not  the  least  suspicion  that  he  was  the  Great  Re- 
deemer of  the  sons  of  men.  But  he  soon  entered  into  dis- 
course with  them,  by  enquiring  what  event  had  so  closely 
engaged  them  in  conversation,  and  why  they  appeared  so 
sorrowful  and  dejected,  as  if  they  had  met  with  some 
heavy  disappointment? 

One  of  them,  whose  name  was  Cleopas,  being  greatly 
surprized  at  this  question,  asked  our  Lord  if  it  were 
possible  that  he  could  be  so  great  a  stranger  to  the  affairs 
of  the  world,  as  to  have  been  at  Jerusalem,  and  not  to 
Lave  heard  the  surprizing  events  that  had  happened 
there?  Events  that  had  astonished  the  whole  city,  and 
were  then  the  general  topics  of  conversation  among  all 
the  inhabitants?  Jesus  answered.  What  things?  What 
surprizing  events  do  you  mean? 

Cleopas,  thinking  our  Lord  a  total  stranger  to  what 
had  happened,  proceeded  to  relate  to  him  the  particulars, 
which  he  communicated  in  words  to  this  effect:  "  The 
"  events  I  mean  are  those  which  have  happened  con- 
u  cerning  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  who  appeared  as  a  great 
<(  prophet  and  teacher  sent  from  Mod  ;  and  accordingly 
i(  was  highly  venerated  among  the  people  for  the  excel- 
u  lency  of  his  doctrine,  and  the  wimbcr,  benefit,  and 
a  greatness  of  his  miracles.    Our  chief  priests  and  elders. 


VO  FROM    THE    BIRTH    OF    CHRIST, 

"  envying  him  as  one  who  lessened  their  authority 
u  over  the  people,  apprehended  him,  and  found  means 
"  to  put  him  to  death.  But  we  firmly  believed  that  he 
"  would  have  proved  himself  the  Messiah,  or  Great 
(i  Deliverer.  And  this  persuasion  we  supported  for  a 
a  long  time,  nor  were  willing  to  abandon  it,  even  when 
"  we  saw  him  put  to  death.  But  it  is  now  the  third  day 
t(  since  these  things  were  done ;  and  therefore  begin  to 
({  fear  we  were  mistaken.  This  very  morning,  indeed,  a 
{i  circumstance  happened  which  greatly  surprized  us, 
:i  and  we  are  exceeding  anxious  with  regard  to  the  event. 
iC  Some  women  who  had  entertained  the  same  hopes  and 
{i  expectations  as  ourselves,  going  early  in  the  morning 
"  to  pay  their  last  duties  to  their  Master,  by  embalming 
te  his  body,  returned  in  great  haste  to  the  city,  and  in- 
"  formed  us,  that  they  had  been  at  the  sepulchre,  but 
te  were  disappointed  in  not  finding  the  body;  and,  to  in- 
u  crease  our  surprize,  they  added,  that  they  had  seen 
"  two  angels,  who  told  them  that  Jesus  was  risen  from 
(i  the  dead.  This  relation  appeared  at  first  to  us  as  an 
6i  idle  tale,  altogether  incredible ;  but  two  of  the  company 
u  going  immediately  after  to  the  sepulchre,  found  every 
"  thing  exactly  as  the  women  had  reported ;  so  that  we 
f*  are  in  great  doubt  and  perplexity  with  regard  to  this 
ci  wonderful  event.77 

The  reply  our  Lord  made  to  his  two  disciples,  after 
having  heard  this  relation  from  Cleopas,  was  to  the  fol- 
lowing effect :  "  Why  are  ye  so  very  averse  to  believe 
"  what  the  prophets  have,  as  it  were,  with  one  voice, 
6£  predicted  concerning  the  Messiah?  Is  it  not  clearly, 
"  and  very  expressly,  foretold  in  all  the  prophetic 
"  writings,  that  it  was  appointed  by  the  Almighty  for  the 
i:  Messiah  to  suffer  in  this  manner;  and  that,  after  sus- 
"  taining  the  greatest  indignities,  reproach,  and  contempt, 
(i  from  the  malice  and  perverseness  of  mankind,  and  even 
"  undergoing  an  ignominious  and  cruel  death,  he  should 
"  be  exalted  to  a  glorious  and  eternal  kingdom?"  Having 
said  this,  he  began  at  the  writings  of  Moses,  and  explain- 
ed to  them,  in  order,  all  the  principal  passages,  both  in 
the  books  of  that  great  legislator,  and  the  writings  of  the 
other  prophets,  relative  to  his  own  sufferings,  death,  and 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  Jl 

glorious  resurrection.  This  he  did  with  such  surprizing 
clearness  and  strength,  that  the  two  disciples  (not  yet  sus- 
pecting who  he  was)  were  as  much  amazed  to  iind  him 
so  well  acquainted  with  all  that  Jesus  did  and  suffered, 
as  they  at  first  wondered  at  his  appearing  to  be  totally 
ignorant  of  these  transactions. 

When  the  two  disciples,  accompanied  by  our  Blessed 
Lord,  arrived  at  the  village  whither  they  were  going,  and 
Jesus  seemed  as  if  he  would  have  passed  on,  and  travel- 
led farther,  they,  desirous  of  his  company,  pressed  him, 
in  the  strongest  maimer,  to  tarry  with  them  that  night,  the 
day  being  then  far  spent.  To  this  request  the  great  Re- 
deemer of  mankind  consented ;  and  when  they  were  sat 
down  to  supper,  he  took  bread,  gave  thanks  to  God,  brake 
it,  and  gave  it  to  them,  in  the  same  manner  he  had  done 
while  he  conversed  with  them  upon  earth  before  his 
death.  This  circumstance  strongly  engaged  the  attention 
of  the  two  disciples,  who,  looking  steadfastly  at  him,  dis- 
covered that  he  was  no  less  a  person  than  their  great  and 
beloved  Master.  And  their  eyes  were  opened  and  they 
knew  him.  But  they  had  no  time  to  express  their  astonish- 
ment and  joy  on  the  occasion ;  for  he  immediately  vanished 
out  of  their  sight. 

As  soon  as  the  two  disciples  bad  recovered  from  their 
surprize,  they  immediately  hastened  to  Jerusalem,  where 
they  found  all  the  apostles  (Thomas  excepted)  together. 
with  several  other  disciples,  discoursing  about  the  res- 
urrection of  their  Master;  and,  on  their  entering  the 
room,  the  disciples  accosted  them  with  these  words :  The 
Lord  is  risen  indeed,  and  hath  appeared  unto  Simon. 
They  had  given  little  credit  to  the  reports  of  the  women, 
supposing  they  were  occasioned  more  by  imagination 
than  reality.  But  when  a  person  of  Simon's  capacity  and 
gravity  declared  he  had  seen  the  Lord,  the  greater  part 
of  them  began  to  think  that  he  was  really  risen  from  the 
dead.  And  their  belief  was  greatly  confirmed  by  the  ar- 
rival of  the  two  disciples  from  Emmaus,  who  declared 
that  Jesus  had  appeared  to  them  on  the  road,  and  had 
discovered  himself  to  be  their  Master,  by  breaking  of 
bread. 


7&  FROM    THE   BIRTH    OF    CHRIST; 

While  the  two  disciples  from  Emmaus  were  describing 
the  manner  of  our  Lord's  appearing  to  them,  and  using 
arguments  to  convince  those  who  doubted  of  the  truth  of 
it,  their  great  Master  himself  put  an  end  to  the  debate  by 
suddenly  appearing  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  saying. 
Peace  be  unto  you.  The  appearance  of  our  Blessed 
Saviour  greatly  terrified  the  disciples,  who  imagined 
they  saw  a  spirit;  for  having  secured  the  doors  of  the 
house  where  they  were  assembled  for  fear  of  the  Jews, 
and  Jesus  having  entered  without  the  knowledge  of  any 
person  belonging  to  the  house,  it  was  natural  for  them  to 
think  that  a  spirit  only  could  enter.  The  circumstance, 
therefore,  of  the  doors  being  shut,  is  very  happily  men- 
tioned by  the  Evangelist,  because  it  points  out  a  clear 
reason  why  the  disciples  took  their  Master  for  a  spirit, 
notwithstanding  many  of  them  were  convinced,  in  their 
own  minds,  that  he  was  really  risen  from  the  dead,  and 
were  that  moment  conversing  about  his  resurrection. 

But  to  dispel  their  fears  and  doubts,  our  Blessed  Lord 
spoke  to  them  in.  the  most  endearing  manner;  having  done 
which  he  shewed  them  his  hands  and  his  feet,  and  de- 
sired them  to  handle  him,  in  order  to  convince  themselves, 
by  the  united  powers  of  their  different  senses,  that  it  was 
he  himself,  and  no  spectre,  or  apparition.  Why  are  ye 
troubled  (said  the  benevolent  Redeemer  of  mankind)  and 
why  do  thoughts  arise  in  your  hearts  P  Behold  my  hands 
and  my  feet,  that  it  is  I  myself :  handle  me  and  see,  for  a 
spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones,  as  ye  see  me  have. 

These  infallible  proofs  sufficiently  convinced  the  dis- 
ciples (at  the  time  they  saw  them)  of  the  truth  of  their 
Lord's  resurrection,  and  they  received  them  with  rapture 
and  exultation.  But  their  joy  and  wonder  had  so  great 
an  effect  upon  their  minds,  that  some  of  them  (sensible  of 
the  great  commotion  they  were  in)  suspended  their  belief 
till  they  had  considered  the  matter  more  calmly.  Jesus, 
therefore,  knowing  their  thoughts,  called  for  meat,  and 
eat  with  them,  in  order  to  prove  more  fully  the  truth  of 
his  resurrection  from  the  dead,  and  the  reality  of  his 
presence  with  them  on  this  occasion. 

After  our  Blessed  Redeemer  had  given  his  apostles 
and  disciples   this  farther  demonstration  of  his  having 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN".  7 0 

vanquished  the  power  of  death,  and  opened  the  tremen- 
dous portals  of  the  grave,  he  gently  chastised  them  for 
their  unbelief,  and  then  repeated  his  salutation,  Peace  be 
unto  you.  Having  done  this,  he  gave  his  apostles  some 
instructions  relative  to  their  future  conduct,  and  informed 
them  with  what  power  they  should  be  invested,  in  order 
to  propagate  his  Gospel,  during  their  residence  on  earth; 
all  which  he  expressed  in  words  to  this  effect:  "The 
"  same  commission  that  my  Father  hath  given  unto  me, 
"  I  give  unto  you :  go  ye,  therefore,  into  every  part  of 
"  the  world,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  all  the  children 
"  of  nien."  Then  breathing  on  them  he  said,  Receive  ye 
the  Holy  Ghost:  Whose  soever  sins  ye  remit,  they  are  re- 
mitted unto  them;  and  whose  soever  sins  ye  retain,  they 
are  retained.  "  Receive  the  Holy  Ghost  to  direct  and 
"  assist  you  in  the  execution  of  your  commission.  Who- 
"  ever  embraces  your  doctrine,  and  sincerely  repents,  ye 
"  shall  remit  his  sins,  and  your  sentence  of  absolution 
"  shall  be  ratified  and  confirmed  in  the  courts  of  heaven. 
"  And  whoever  either  obstinately  rejects  your  doctrine, 
"  disobeys  it,  or  behaves  himself  unworthily  after  he  has 
"  embraced  it,  his  sins  shall  not  be  forgiven  him;  but  the 
"  censure  ye  shall  pass  upon  him  on  earth  shall  be  con- 
"  firmed  in  heaven."  Having  said  this,  our  Blessed  Lord 
disappeared,  leaving  his  apostles  and  disciples  to  con- 
template on  the  wonderful  things  they  had  both  seen  and 
heard. — And  thus  ended  the  first  day  of  the  wreek,  which, 
in  honor  of  our  Blessed  Saviour's  resurrection,  has,  ever 
since,  among  all  Christians,  been  kept  as  the  Sabbath. 

Thus  have  we  enumerated,  in  the  most  explicit  man- 
ner, the  transactions  of  that  day  on  which  the  great  Re- 
deemer of  mankind  arose  from  the  dead ;  a  day  highly  to 
be  remembered  by  the  children  of  men,  throughout  all 
generations.  A  day,  in  which  was  fully  completed  and 
displayed  the  conceptions  lodged  in  the  breast  of  infinite 
wisdom  from  all  eternity!  even  those  thoughts  of  love  and 
mercy,  on  which  the  salvation  of  the  world  depended. 
Christians  have  therefore  the  highest  reason  to  solemnize 
this  day  with  gladness,  each  returning  week,  by  ceasing 
from  their  labor,  and  giving  up  themselves  to  prayer, 
pious  meditations,  aud  other  exercises  of  religion.   The 

vol.  iv.         K 


74  FROM   THE   BIRTH   OF   CHRIST, 

redemption  of  mankind  which  they  weekly  commemorate 
affords  matter  for  eternal  thought;  it  is  a  subject  impossi- 
ble to  be  equalled,  and  whose  lustre  neither  length  of 
time,  nor  frequent  reviewing,  can  either  tarnish  or  di- 
minish. It  resembles  the  sun,  which  we  behold  always 
the  same  glorious  and  luminous  object;  for  the  benefit  we 
celebrate  is,  after  so  many  ages,  as  fresh  and  beautiful  a? 
ever,  and  will  always  continue  the  same,  flourishing  in 
the  memories  of  pious  people,  through  the  endless  revolu- 
tions of  eternity.  Redemption  is  the  brightest  mirror  by 
which  we  contemplate  the  goodness  of  the  Almighty. 
Other  gifts  are  only  mites  from  the  Divine  treasure;  but 
redemption  opens,  I  had  almost  said  exhausts,  all  the 
stores  of  his  grace.  May  it  be  constantly  the  favorite 
subject  of  our  meditations,  more  delightful  to  our  musing 
minds,  than  applause  to  the  ambitious  ear!  May  it  be 
the  darling  theme  of  our  discourse ;  sweeter  to  our 
tongues  than  the  dropping  of  the  honey  comb  to  the  taste! 
May  it  be  our  choicest  comfort,  through  all  the  changes  of 
this  mortal  life ;  and  the  reviving  cordial,  even  in  the  last 
extremities  of  dissolution  itself! 

At  the  time  our  Blessed  Lord  appeared  before  his 
apostles  at  Jerusalem  after  his  resurrection,  Thomas, 
otherwise  called  Didymus,  was  absent.  When,  therefore, 
he  came  to  them  they  told  him  that  they  had  seen  the 
Lord,  and  repeated  to  him  the  words  he  had  delivered  in 
their  hearing;.  But  Thomas,  who  was  naturally  of  a  very 
incredulous  disposition,  would  not  believe  them,  saying, 
Except  I  shall  see  in  his  hands  the  print  of  the  nails,  and 
put  my  finger  into  the  print  of  the  nails,  and  thrust  my 
hand  into  his  side,  I  will  not  believe.  As  if  he  had  said, 
"  This  event  is  of  such  great  importance,  that  unless,  to 
prevent  all  possibility  of  deception,  I  see  him  with  my 
own  eyes,  and  feel  him  with  mine  own  hands,  putting  my 
fingers  into  the  prints  of  the  nails  whereby  he  was  fasten- 
ed to  the  cross,  and  thrust  my  hand  into  his  side  which 
the  soldier  pierced  with  his  spear,  I  will  not  believe  that 
he  is  really  and  truly  risen  from  the  dead." 

Eight  days  after  this,  when  the  apostles  were  met  to- 
gether in  the  same  place,  with  the  doors  shut  for  fear  of 
the  Jews,  and  Thomas  was  with  them,  Jesus  again  ap 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  7.1F 

pcared,  and  standing  in  the  midst  of  them,  saluted  (hem, 
as  before,  with  the  blessing  of  Peace.  Having  done  this 
he  turned  himself  to  Thomas,  and,  knowing  his  unbelief. 
addressed  him  in  words  to  this  effect:  li  Thomas,  since 
<•'  thou  wilt  not  be  contented  to  rely  on  the  testimony  of 
•'•'  others,  but  must  be  convinced  by  the  experience  of  thy 
"  own  senses,  behold  the  wounds  in  mine  hands,  and 
'•'  reach  hither  thy  hand,  and  thrust  it  into  my  side,  and 
u  doubt  no  longer  of  the  reality  of  my  resurrection/' 

Thomas  immediately  obeyed  the  kind  invitation  of  his 
dear  Master,  and  being  fully  satisfied,  according  to  his 
own  desire,  he  cried  out,  My  Lord  and  my  God.  As  if 
he  had  said,  "  I  am  now  abundantly  conviuced ;  thou  art, 
•'•'  indeed,  my  Lord,  the  very  same  that  was  crucified ;  and 
"  I  acknowledge  thy  Almighty  power  in  having  tri- 
•'•  umphed  over  death,  and  most  sincerely  worship  thee  as 
••  my  God.*' 

To  this  the  Blessed  Jesus  replied,  Thomas,  because 
thou  hast  seen  me,  thou  hast  believed  ;  blessed  are  they  that 
have  not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed.  "  Because  thou 
hast  both  seen  and  felt  me,  thou  hast  believed  that  I  am 
really  risen  from  the  dead.  But  blessed  are  those,  who, 
without  such  evidence  of  the  senses,  shall,  upon  credible 
testimony,  be  willing  to  believe  and  embrace  a  doctrine, 
which  tends  so  much  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  salva- 
tion of  the  sons  of  men." — St.  John  adds,  that  the  Blessed 
Jesus  appeared,  on  several  other  occasions,  to  his  dis- 
ciples after  his  resurrection ;  and  by  many  clear  and  in- 
fallible proofs,  not  meutioned  by  him,  fully  convinced 
them  that  he  was  alive  after  his  resurrection.  He  ob- 
serves, at  the  same  time,  that  those  which  he  has  men- 
tioned are  abundantly  sufficient  to  induce  men  to  believe 
that  Jesus  was  the  Son  of  God,  the  great  Messiah  so 
often  foretold  by  the  ancient  prophets ;  and  that  by  means 
of  that  belief  they  may  obtain  everlasting  life  in  the  happy 
regious  of  the  heavenly  Canaan. 

Our  Blessed  Saviour  having,  first  by  the  angels,  and 
afterwards  in  person,  ordered  his  disciples  to  repair  into 
Galilee,  they  accordingly,  as  soon  as  the  feast  was  over, 
left  Jerusalem,  and  returned  to  the  different  provinces 
from  whence  they  came.    They  had  not  been  long. there 


7^  FROM    THE    BIRTH   OF    CHRIST, 

•when  Peter,  with  several  others  of  the  apogtles,  returned 
to  their  old  trade  of  fishing,  in  the  lake,  or  sea  of  Tibe- 
rias. After  toiling  all  night  without  success,  early  in  the 
morning  they  saw  Jesus  standing  on  the  shore,  but  did 
not  then  know  him  to  be  their  Master.  He,  however, 
called  to  them,  and  asked  if  they  had  taken  any  fish ; 
to  which  they  answered,  they  had  caught  nothing.  Jesus 
then  said  unto  them,  Cast  the  net  on  the  right  side  of  the 
ship,  and  ye  shall  find.  The  disciples,  imagining  that  he 
might  be  acquainted  with  the  places  proper  for  fishing, 
did  as  he  had  directed  them,  and  inclosed  in  their  net 
such  a  multitude  of  fishes,  that  they  were  notable  to  draw 
it  into  the  boat,  but  were  forced  to  drag  it  after  them  in 
the  water  towards  the  shore. 

This  remarkable  success,  after  toiling  all  night  to  no 
purpose,  caused  various  conjectures  among  them  with  re- 
gard to  the  stranger  on  shore,  who  had  given  them  such 
happy  advice.  The  greater  part  of  the  apostles  said  they 
could  not  imagine  who  he  was;  but  two  of  them  were  per- 
suaded that  he  was  no  other  than  their  great  and  beloved 
Master.  John  was  fully  convinced  of  his  being  the  Lord, 
and  accordingly  told  his  thoughts  to  Simon  Peter,  who, 
making  no  doubt  of  it,  immediately  girt  on  his  fishers 
coat,  and  leaped  into  the  sea,  in  order  to  get  ashore  sooner 
than  the  boat  could  be  brought  to  land,  dragging  after  it 
a  net  full  of  large  fishes. 

When  all  the  apostles  had  got  on  shore,  they  were 
greatly  surprized  to  find  a  fire  kindled,  on  which  was  a 
fish,  and  near  it  some  hread.  But  these  not  being  suffi- 
cient for  them  all,  Jesus  bade  them  bring  some  of  the  fish 
they  had  just  caught,  which  having  done,  he  divided  the 
bread  and  fish  among  them,  and  they  sat  down  to  refresh 
themselves  in  the  presence  of  their  beloved  Master.  Thus 
did  the  Blessed  Jesus  prove  again  to  his  disciples  the  re- 
ality of  his  resurrection,  not  only  by  delivering  food  to 
them  with  his  own  hands,  but  by  working  a  miracle  like 
that  which,  at  the  beginning  of  his  ministry,  had  made 
such  an  impression  on  their  minds  as  to  induce  them  to 
become  his  followers.  This  was  the  third  time  that  Jesus 
shewed  himself  to  his  disciples  after  that  he  was  risen  from 
the  dead. 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  77 

When  the  disciples  had  sufficiently  refreshed  them 
selves,  .lesus  entered  into  conversation  with  Peter.  To 
whom  lie  said,  lovest  thou  me  more  than  these?  Art  thnu 
more  zealous  and  affectionate  towards  me,  than  (lie  rest 
of  my  disciples?  To  which  Peter  answered,  Yea,  L&rd: 
thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee.  Jesus  repeated  the  same 
question  twice,  and  received  the  same  answer  from  Peler; 
upon  which  he  said  unto  him,  Feed  my  lambs,  Feed  my 
sheep.  "  Express  thou  thy  love  towards  me,  by  the  care 
of  my  flock  committed  to  thy  charge.  Shew  your  love  to 
me,  by  publishing  the  great  salvation  I  have  accomplish- 
ed ;  and  feeding  the  souls  of  faithful  believers  with  that 
food  which  never  perishes,  but  endureth  for  ever  and 
ever."  Our  Lord  then  farther  said  unto  Peter:  Verily, 
I  say  unto  thee,  When  thou  icasi l  young,  thou,  girdest  thy- 
self\  and  wallcest  whither  thou  icouldst:  but  when  thou 
shalt  be  old,  thou  shalt  stretch  forth  thy  hands,  and  an- 
other shall  gird  thee,  and  carry  thee  whither  thou  wouldst 
not.  By  these  last  words  Jesus  signified  that  Peter's 
death  was  to  be  by  crucifixion,  which  he  should  suffer  for 
the  glory  of  God,  aud  the  testimony  of  the  truth  of  the 
Christian  religion. 

When  Peter  was  informed  by  our  Lord  of  what  was  to 
he  his  own  fate,  he  was  desirous  of  knowing  that  of  his 
fellow-disciple  John,  and  therefore  said  unto  Jesus,  Lord, 
and  what  shall  this  man  do?  But  Jesus,  instead  of  grati- 
fying his  curiosity,  required  him  to  attend  to  his  own  con- 
cerns, and  as  he  was  to  resemble  him  in  the  manner  of 
his  death,  so  to  endeavor  to  imitate  him  in  his  deportment 
under  it. 

After  this  our  Lord  having  appointed  a  solemn  meeting 
of  as  many  of  his  disciples  as  could  conveniently  be  got 
together,  and  named  a  certain  mountain  in  Galilee  (pro- 
bably that  on  which  he  was  transfigured)  for  the  purpose, 
they  assembled  at  the  time  appointed.  They  did  not  wait 
long  before  the  Blessed  Jesus  appeared  to  them,  on 
which  they  were  seized  with  rapture,  their  hearts  over- 
flowed with  gladness,  they  approached  their  kind  and  be- 
nevolent Master,  and  worshipped  him.  Here  our  Blessed 
Lord  told  his  apostles,  that  all  power,  both  in  heaven  and 
earth,  was  given  to  him ;  commanded  them  to  instruct  all 


!?8  FROM   THE   BIRTH   OF    CHRIST, 

nations,  and  to  baptize  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of 
the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  to  press  them  to  be 
diligent  in  enforcing  his  precepts  among  their  hearers,  he 
promised  them  his  protection  and  assistance  in  the  ardu- 
ous task  they  were  about  to  undertake. 

Forty  days  was  the  time  pre-ordained  for  our  Lord's 
continuance  upon  earth  after  his  resurrection.  These  days 
being  now  almost  expired,  the  apostles  (according  as  they 
had  been  ordered)  with  some  of  their  select  friends,  re- 
turned to  Jerusalem,  and  there  assembled  themselves  in  a 
private  place,  as  they  had  always  done  after  the  cruci- 
fixion of  their  Master.  Here  our  Blessed  Lord  appeared 
to  them  for  the  last  time ;  and  after  instructing  them  in 
many  particulars  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  the 
manner  in  which  they  were  to  behave  themselves  in  prop- 
agating the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel,  he  put  them  in  mind, 
that  during  his  abode  with  them  in  Galilee,  he  had  often 
told  them,  that  all  things  written  in  the  law,  the  prophets, 
and  the  psalms,  concerning  him,  were  to  be  exactly  ac- 
complished. At  the  same  time,  he  opened  their  under- 
standings; that  is,  he  removed  their  prejudices  by  the 
operation  of  his  spirit,  cleared  their  doubts,  improved 
their  memories,  strengthened  their  judgments,  aud  enabled 
them  to  discern  the  true  meaning  of  the  scriptures.  He 
then  reminded  them  that  both  Moses  and  the  prophets 
had  foretold  that  the  Messiah  was  to  suffer  in  the  very 
same  manner  he  had  suffered ;  that  he  was  to  rise  from 
the  dead  on  the  third  day  as  he  had  done;  and  that  re- 
pentance and  remission  of  sins  was  to  be  preached,  in  the 
Messiah's  name,  among  all  nations,  beginning  with  the 
Jews.  He  told  them,  that  they  were  to  testify  unto  the 
world  the  exact  accomplishment  in  him  of  all  things  fore- 
told concerning  the  Messiah ;  and  closed  his  instructions 
to  them  by  giving  them  a  particular  charge  that  they 
should  not  depart  from  Jerusalem,  until  they  had  re- 
ceived that  miraculous  effusion  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which 
he  had  promised,  and  would  shortly  send  down  upon 
them.  He  likewise  gave  them  to  understand,  that,  after 
the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  them,  they  would 
have  juster  notions  of  those  matters,  aud  be  sufficiently 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  79 

enabled   to  be  the  authentic  witnesses  of  his  life  and 
actions  throughout  the  world. 

After  our  Blessed  Lord  had  thus  fortified  his  apostles 
for  the  important  work  they  were  going  to  undertake,  he 
led  them  out  of  the  city  to  that  part  of  the  mount  of 
Olives,  which  was  nearest  to  Bethany.  On  their  arrival 
there,  he  gave  them  some  farther  instructions  relative  to 
the  measures  they  were  to  follow  in  order  to  propagate 
his  gospel,  after  which  he  lifted,  up  his  hands  and  blessed 
them.  While  he  was  doing  this,  and  his  apostles  were 
placed  in  an  adoring  posture,  he  was  parted  from  them 
in  the  midst  of  the  day,  beiug  gradually  taken  up,  in  a 
shining  cloud,  and  triumphantly  carried  into  heaven, 
where  he  now  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God  his  Father, 
to  whom  he  honor,  glory  and  power,  for  ever  and  ever. 
Amen. 

Hossanna  to  the  prince  of  light, 

That  clothed  himself  in  clay ; 
Opened  the  iron  gates  of  death, 

And  tore  the  bars  away. 

Death  is  no  more  the  king  of  dread, 

Since  Christ  our  Lord  arose; 
He  took  the  tyrant's  sting  away, 

And  spoiled  our  hellish  foes. 

See  how  the  Conqueror  mounts  aloft. 

And  to  his  Father  flies, 
With  scars  of  honor  in  his  flesh, 

And  triumph  in  his  eyes. 

There  our  exalted  Saviour  reigns, 

And  scatters  blessings  down; 
Our  Jesus  fills  the  right  hand  seat 

Of  the  celestial  throne. 

In  this  illustrious  manner  did  the  Great  Redeemer  of 
mankind  depart,  after  having  finished  the  grand  work 
about  which  he  was  sent  into  the  world :  a  work,  which 
angels,  with  joy,  described  was  to  happen,  and  which, 
through  all  eternity  to  come,  at  periods  the  most  immense- 
ly distant  from  the  time  of  its  execution,  will  be  looked 
back  upon  with  inexpressible  delight  by  every  inhabitant  of 


80  FROM    THE   BIRTH    OF   CHRIST, 

heaven:  for,  though  the  minute  affairs  of  time  may  vanish 
together,  and  be  lost,  when  they  are  removed  back  far  by 
the  endless  progression  of  duration,  yet  this  object  is  such, 
that  no  distance,  however  great,  can  lessen  it.  The  king- 
dom of  heaven  is  erected  on  the  incarnation  and  suffer- 
ings of  the  Son  of  God,  and  therefore  no  mortal  what- 
ever can  forget  the  foundation  on  which  his  happiness 
stands  established ;  nor  will  any  fail  of  obtaining  a  seat 
in  those  mansions,  provided  he  preserves  a  proper  sub- 
jection to  him,  who  reigneth  for  ever  and  ever,  and 
whose  favor  is  better  than  life  itself. 

It  may  not  be  improper,  in  this  place,  to  admit  a  few 
reflections  on  the  life  of  the  Blessed  Jesus — a  life  the 
greatest  and  best  that  was  ever  led  by  man,  or  was  ever 
the  subject  of  any  history,  since  the  universe  was  called 
from  its  original  chaos  by  the  powerful  word  of  the  Al- 
mighty. 

The  human  character  of  the  Blessed  Jesus  is  entirely 
different  from  that  of  all  other  men  whatever;  for  where- 
as they  have  selfish  passions  deeply  rooted  in  their 
breasts,  and  are  influenced  by  them  in  almost  every  thing 
they  do,  Jesus  was  so  entirely  free  from  them,  that  the 
most  severe  scrutiny  cannot  furnish  one  single  action,  in 
the  whole  course  of  his  life,  wherein  he  consulted  his 
own  interest  only.  No ;  he  was  influenced  by  very  different 
motives;  the  happiness  and  eternal  welfare  of  sinners 
regulated  his  conduct;  and  while  others  followed  their 
respective  occupations,  Jesus  had  no  other  business  than 
that  of  promoting  the  happiness  of  the  sons  of  men.  Nor 
did  he  wait  till  he  was  solicited  to  extend  his  benevolent 
hand  to  the  distressed:  he  went  about  doing  good,  and 
always  accounted  it  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive ; 
resembling  God  rather  than  man.  He  went  about  doing 
good  :  benevolence  was  the  very  life  of  his  soul :  he  not 
only  did  good  to  objects  presented  to  him  for  relief,  but 
he  industriously  sought  them  out,  in  order  to  extend  his 
compassionate  assistance. 

It  is  common  for  persons  of  the  most  exalted  faculties 
to  be  elated  with  success  aud  applause,  or  dejected  by 
censure  and  disappointments;  but  the  Blessed  Jesus  was 
not  elated  by  the  one,  nor  depressed  by  the  other.   He 


TO    II1S    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  81 

was  never  more  courageous,  than  when  he  met  with  the 
greatest  opposition  and  cruel  treatment;  nor  more  humble 
than  when  the  sons  of  men  worshipped  at  his  feet. 

He  came  into  the  world  inspired  with  the  grandest 
purpose  that  ever  was  formed,  that  of  saving  from  eternal 
perdition,  not  a  single  nation,  but  the  whole  world;  and 
in  the  execution  of  it,  went  through  the  longest  and 
heaviest  (rain  of  labors  that  ever  was  sustained,  with  a 
constancy  and  resolution,  on  which  no  disadvantageous 
impression  could  be  made  by  any  accident  whatever. 
Calumny,  threatnings,  bad  success,  with  many  other 
evils  constantly  attending  him,  served  only  to  quicken  his 
endeavors  in  this  glorious  enterprizc,  which  he  un- 
weariedly  pursued  even  till  he  finished  it  by  his  death. 

The  generality  of  mankind  are  prone  to  retaliate  in- 
juries received,  and  all  seem  to  take  a  satisfaction  in 
complaining  of  the  cruelties  of  those  who  oppress  them ; 
whereas  the  whole  of  Christ's  labors  breathed  nothing 
but  meekness,  patience,  and  forgiveness,  even  to  his 
bitterest  enemies,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  most  excru- 
ciating torments.  The  words,  Father,  forgive  them,  for 
they  know  not  what  they  do,  uttered  by  him  when  his 
enemies  were  nailing  him  to  the  cross,  fitly  express  the 
temper  which  he  maintained  through  the  whole  course  of 
his  life,  even  when  assaulted  by  the  heaviest  provocations. 
He  was  destined  to  sufferings  here  below,  in  order  that 
he  might  raise  his  people  to  honor,  glory,  and  immortali- 
ty, in  the  realms  of  bliss  above ;  and  therefore  patiently, 
yea  joyfully,  submitted  to  all  that  the  malice  of  earth  and 
hell  could  inflict.  He  was  vilified,  that  we  might  be  hon- 
ored :  he  died,  that  we  might  live  for  ever  and  ever. 

To  conclude:  the  greatest  and  best  men  have  dis- 
covered the  degeneracy  aud  corruption  of  human  nature, 
and  shewn  themselves  to  have  been  nothing  more  than 
men ;  but  it  was  otherwise  with  Jesus.  He  was  superior 
to  all  the  men  that  ever  lived,  both  with  regard  to  the 
purity  of  his  manners,  and  the  perfection  of  his  virtues. 
He  was  holy,  harmless,  undefined,  and  separated  from 
sinners. 

Whether  we  consider  him  as  a  teacher,  or  as  a  man, 
he  did  no  sin;  neither  was  guile  found  in  his  mouth, 

vox.  iv.        L 


$2  EROM   THE   BIRTH   OF    CHRIST, 

His  whole  life  was  perfectly  free  from  spot  or  weakness? 
at  the  same  time  it  was  remarkable  for  the  greatest  and 
extensive  exercises  of  virtue.  But  never  to  have  com- 
mitted the  least  sin,  in  word  or  in  deed,  never  to  have 
uttered  any  sentiment  that  could  be  censured,  upon  the 
various  topics  of  religion  and  morality,  which  were  the 
daily  subjects  of  his  discourses,  and  that  through  the 
course  of  a  life  filled  witli  action,  aud  led  under  the  ob- 
servation of  many  enemies,  who  had  always  access  to 
converse  with  him,  and  who  often  came  to  find  fault,  is  a 
pitch  of  perfection  evidently  above  the  reach  of  human 
nature;  and  consequently  he  who  possessed  it  must  have- 
been  Divine. 

Such  was  the  person  who  is  the  subject  of  the  evan- 
gelical history.  If  the  reader,  by  reviewing  his  life, 
doctrine  and  miracles,  as  they  are  here  represented  to 
him,  united  in  one  series,  has  a  clearer  idea  of  these 
things  thau  before,  or  observes  a  beauty  in  his  actions 
thus  linked  together,  which  taken  separately  do  not  ap- 
pear so  fully;  if  he  feels  himself  touched  by  the  charac- 
ter of  Jesus  in  general,  or  with  any  of  his  sermons  and 
actions  in  particular,  thus  simply  delineated  in  writing, 
whose  principal  charms  are  the  beauties  of  truth :  above 
all,  if  his  dying  so  generously  for  men  strikes  him  with 
admiration,  or  fills  him  with  joy  in  the  prospect  of  that 
pardon  whicii  is  thereby  purchased  for  the  world  :  let 
him  seriously  consider  with  himself  what  improvement  he 
ought  to  make  of  the  Divine  goodness. 

Jesus,  by  his  death,  hath  set  open  the  gates  of  immor 
tality  to  the  sons  of  men;  and  by  his  word,  spirit  and  ex- 
ample, graciously  offers  to  make  them  meet  for  the 
glorious  rewards  in  the  kingdom  of  the  heavenly  Canaan, 
and  to  conduct  them  into  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in 
light.  Let  us,  therefore,  remember,  that  being  born  under 
the  dispensation  of  his  gospel,  we  have,  from  our  earliest 
years,  enjoyed  the  best  means  of  securing  to  ourselves  an 
interest  in  that  favor  of  God,  which  is  life;  and  that 
loving-kindness,  which  is  better  than  life. 

We  have  been  called  to  aspire  after  an  exaltation  to 
the  felicity  of  the  heavenly  mansions  exhibited  to  mortal 
eyes  in  the  man  Jesus  Christ,  to  fire  us  with  the  noblest 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  S3 

ambition.  His  Gospel  teaches  us  that  we  arc  made  for 
eternity:  and  that  our  present  life  is  to  our  future  ex- 
istence, as  infancy  is  to  manhood.  But  as  in  the  former, 
many  things  are  to  be  learned,  many  hardships  to  be  en- 
dured, many  habits  to  be  acquired,  and  that  by  a  course 
of  exercises,  which  in  themselves  though  painful,  and 
possibly  useless  to  the  child,  yet  are  necessary  to  fit  him, 
for  the  business  and  enjoyments  of  manhood.  So  while 
we  remain  in  this  infancy  of  human  life,  tilings  are  to  be 
learned,  hardships  to  be  endured,  and  habits  to  be 
acquired,  by  a  laborious  discipline,  which,  however 
painful,  must  be  undergone,  because  necessary  to  fit  us 
for  the  employments  and  pleasures  of  our  riper  existence, 
in  the  realms  above,  always  remembering  that  whatever 
our  trials  may  be,  in  this  world,  if  we  ask  for  God's  as- 
sistance, he  has  promised  to  give  it.  Enflamed,  therefore, 
with  the  love  of  immortality  and  its  joys,  let  us  submit 
ourselves  to  our  heavenly  teacher,  and  learn  of  him  those 
graces,  which  alone  can  render  life  pleasant,  death 
desirable,  and  fill  eternity  with  ecstatic  joys. 

We  cannot  close  the  solemn  scene  of  the  life  of  our  dear 
Lord  and  Saviour  with  greater  propriety  than  by  making 
a  few  observations  on  the  nature  of  his  religion,  and  con- 
sidering the  great  benefits  which  will  infallibly  result  to 
all,  who  shall,  by  faith,  receive  and  embrace  his  holy 
doctrine. 

The  religion  of  Christ  is  the  perfection  of  human 
nature,  and  the  foundation  of  uniform,  exalted  pleasure  : 
of  public  order,  and  private  happiness.  Christianity  is 
the  most  excellent  and  the  most  useful  institution,  having 
the  promise  of  the  life  that  vow  is,  and  of  that  which  is  to 
come.  It  is  the  voice  of  reason :  it  is  also  the  language  of 
scripture :  the  ways  of  wisdom  are  ways  of  pleasantness, 
and  all  her  paths  are  peace :  And  our  Blessed  Saviour 
himself  assures  us,  that  his  precepts  are  easy,  and  the 
burthen  of  his  religion  light. 

The  Christian  religion  comprehends  all  we  ought  to 
believe,  and  all  we  ought  to  practise:  its  positive  rites 
are  few,  and  perfectly  intelligible  to  every  capacity ;  and 
the  whole  is  manifestly  adapted  to  establish  in  us  a 


84  FROM   THE   BIRTH   OF   CHRIST, 

proper  sense  of  the  great  obligations  we  lay  under  both 
to  God  and  Christ. 

The  Gospel  places  religion  not  in  abtruse  speculation, 
and  metaphysical  subtleties;  not  in  outward  shew,  and 
tedious  ceremony ;  not  in  superstitious  austerities  and  en- 
thusiastic visions ;  but  in  purity  of  heart  and  holiness  of 
life.  The  sum  of  our  duty  (according  to  our  Great 
Master  himself)  consists  in  the  love  of  God,  and  of  our 
lie  ghbor.  According  to  St.  Paul,  in  denying  ungodliness, 
and  worldly  lusts;  and  in  living  soberly,  righteously  and 
godly  in  this  present  world.  According  to  St.  James,  in 
visiting  the  fatherless  and  widow  in  affliction,  and  in 
keeping  ourselves  unspotted  from  the  world.  This  is  the 
constant  strain  and  tenor  of  the  gospel.  This  it  inculcates 
most  earnestly,  and  on  this  it  lays  the  greatest  stress. 

It  may  be  asked  if  the  Christian  religion  is  only  a  view 
of  the  law  of  nature,  or  merely  a  refined  system  of  moral- 
ity? To  which  we  answer,  that  it  is  a  great  deal  more 
than  either.  It  is  an  act  of  grace,  a  stupendous  plan  of 
Providence,  for  the  recovery  of  mankind  from  a  state  of 
degradation  and  ruin,  to  the  favor  of  the  Almighty,  and 
to  the  hopes  of  a  happy  immortality  through  a  Mediator. 

Under  this  dispensation,  true  religion  consists  in  a  re- 
pentance towards  God,  and  in  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  as  the  person  appointed  by  the  supreme  authority 
of  heaven  and  earth,  to  reconcile  apostate  man  to  his  of- 
fended Creator.  And  what  hardship  is  there  in  all  this? 
Surely  none.  Nay,  the  practice  of  religion  is  much  easier 
than  the  servitude  of  sin. 

It  certainly  must  be  allowed  by  all  that  our  rational 
powers  are  impaired,  and  the  soul  weakened  by  sin. 
The  animal  passions  are  strong,  and  apt  to  oppose  the 
dictates  of  the  Spirit  of  God:  objects  of  sense  make  pow- 
erful impressions  on  the  mind.  We  are,  in  every  situation, 
surrounded  with  many  snares  and  temptations.  In  such 
a  disordered  state  of  things,  to  maintain  an  undeviating 
path  of  duty,  cannot  be  effected  by  poor  weak  man. 
There  are,  however,  generous  aids  afforded  us  to  per- 
severe in  the  ways  of  the  Lord. 

The  gracious  Author  of  nature  has  planted  in  the 
human  breast  a  quick  sense  of  good  and  evil ;  a  faculty 


TO   HIS    ASCENSION   INTO    HEAVEN.  8;i 

which  strongly  dictates  right  and  wrong;  and  though  by 
the  strength  of  appetite  and  warmth  of  passion,  men  are 
oft  in  hurried  into  immoral  practices,  yet  iu  the  beginning, 
especially  when  there  has  been  the  advantage  of  a  good 
education,  it  is  usually  with  reluctance  and  opposition  of 
mind.  What  inward  struggles  precede!  What  bitter 
pangs  attend  their  sinful  excesses!  What  guilty  blushes 
and  uneasy  fears!  What  frightful  prospects  and  pale  re- 
views! Terrors  are  upon  them,  and  a  jive  not  blown  eon- 
sumeth  them.  To  make  a  mock  at  sin,  and  to  commit  in- 
iquity without  remorse,  requires  great  length  of  time, 
and  much  painful  labor;  more  labor  than  is  requisite  to 
attain  that  habitual  goodness  which  is  the  glory  of  the 
man,  the  ornament  of  the  Christian,  and  the  chief  of  his 
happiness. 

The  soul  can  no  more  be  reconciled  to  acts  of  wicked- 
ness and  injustice,  than  the  body  to  excess,  but  by  suffer- 
ing many  bitter  pains,  and  cruel  attacks. 

The  mouth  of  conscience  may,  indeed,  be  stopped  for 
a  time,  by  false  principles:  its  secret  whispers  may  be 
drowned  by  the  noise  of  company,  and  stifled  by  the  en 
tertainments  of  sense;  but  this  principle  of  conscience  is 
so  deeply  rooted  iu  human  nature,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
her  voice  is  so  clear  and  strong,  that  the  sinner's  arts 
will  be  unable  to  lull  her  into  a  lasting  security. 

When  the  hour  of  calamity  arrives :  when  sickness 
seizcth,  and  death  approaches  the  sinner,  conscience  now 
constrains  him  to  listen  to  her  accusations,  and  will  not 
suffer  the  temples  of  his  head  to  take  any  rest.  There  is 
no  peace  to  the  wicked;  the  foundations  of  peace  are  sub- 
verted, they  are  at  utter  enmity  with  their  reasou,  with 
their  conscience,  and  with  their  God. 

Not  so  is  the  case  of  true  religion.  For  when  religion, 
pure  and  genuine,  forms  the  tempers,  and  governs  the 
life,  conscience  applauds,  and  peace  takes  his  residence 
in  the  breast.  The  soul  is  in  its  proper  state.  There  i* 
order  and  regularity  both  in  the  faculties  and  actions. 
Conscious  of  its  own  integrity,  and  secure  of  divine  ap- 
probation, the  soul  enjoys  a  calmness  not  to  be  described. 
But  why  do  we  call  this  happy  frame  calmness  only?  It 
is  far  more  than  mere  calmness.   The  air  mav  be  calm. 


s 


85  PROM  THE   BIRTH   OP   CHRIST, 

and  the  day  overcast  with  thick  mists  and  clouds.  The 
pious  and  virtuous  mind  resembles  a  serene  day,  en- 
lightened and  enlivened  with  the  brightest  rays  of  the 
sun.  Though  all  without  may  be  clouds  and  darkness, 
there  is  light  in  the  heart  of  a  pious  man.  He  is  satisfied 
from  himself,  and  is  filed  with  peace  and  joy  in  believing. 
In  the  concluding  scene  (the  awful  moment  of  dissolu- 
tion) all  is  peaceful  and  serene.  The  immortal  part  quit 
its  tenement  of  clay,  with  the  well  grounded  hopes  of 
ascending  to  happiness  and  glory. 

Nor  docs  the  gospel  enjoin  any  duty  but  what  is  fit 
and  reasonable.  It  calls  upon  all  its  professors  to  prac- 
tice reverence,  submission,  and  gratitude  to  God;  justice, 
truth,  and  uuiversal  benevolence  to  men ;  and  to  maintain 
the  government  of  our  own  minds.  And  what  has  any 
one  to  object  against  this?  From  the  least  to  the  greatest 
commandment  of  our  dear  Redeemer,  there  is  not  one 
which  impartial  reason  can  find  fault  with.  His  law  is 
perfect;  his  precepts  are  true  and  righteous,  altogether. 
Not  even  those  excepted,  which  require  its  to  love  our 
enemies,  to  deny  ourselves,  and  to  take  up  our  cross.  To 
forgive  an  injury  is  more  generous  and  manly  than  to  re- 
venge it :  to  control  a  licentious  appetite  than  to  indulge 
it :  to  suffer  poverty,  reproach,  and  even  death  itself,  in 
the  sacred  cause  of  truth  and  integrity,  is  much  wiser  and 
better,  than,  by  base  compliances,  to  make  shipwreck  of 
faith  and  a  good  conscience. 

Thus  in  a  storm  at  sea,  or  a  conflagration  on  the  land, 
a  man  with  pleasure  abandons  his  lumber,  to  secure  his 
jewels.  Piety  and  virtue  are  the  wisest  and  most  reason- 
able things  in  the  world ;  vice  and  wickedness  the  most 
irrational  and  absurd. 

The  all-wise  Author  of  our  being  hath  so  framed  our 
natures,  and  placed  us  in  such  relations,  that  there  is 
nothing  vicious,  but  what  is  injurious;  nothing  virtuous 
but  what  is  advantageous  to  our  present  interest,  both 
with  respect  to  body  and  mind.  Meekness  and  humility, 
patience  and  universal  charity,  and  grace,  give  a  joy  un- 
known to  transgressors. 

The  divine  virtues  of  truth  and  equity  are  the  only 
bands  of  friendship,  the  only  supports  of  society.   Tem- 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION     INTO    HEAVEN.  87 

porauce  and  sobriety  are  the  best  preservatives  of  health 
and  strength;  but  sin  and  debauchery  impair  the  body, 
consume  the  substance,  reduce  us  to  poverty,  and  form 
the  direct  path  to  an  immature  and  untimely  death. 

To  render  our  duty  easy,  we  have  (he  example,  as 
well  as  the  commands,  of  the  blessed  Jesus.  The  mas- 
ters of  morality  among  the  heathens  gave  excellent  rules 
for  the  regulation  of  men's  manners;  but  they  wanted 
either  the  honesty,  or  the  courage  to  try  their  own  argu- 
ments upon  themselves.  It  was  a  strong  presumption  that 
the  yoke  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  was  grievous, 
when  they  laid  heavy  burdens  upon  men's  shoulders, 
which  they  themselves  refused  to  touch  with  one  of  their 
lingers.  Not  thus  our  great  law-giver,  Jesus  Christ  the 
righteous.  His  behavior  was  in  all  respects,  conformable 
to  his  doctrine.  His  devotion  towards  God,  how  sublime 
and  ardent!  benevolence  towards  men,  how  great  and 
diflusive !  He  was  in  his  life  an  exact  pattern  of  inno- 
cence; for  he  did  no  sin:  neither  was  guile  found  in  his 
mouth.  In  the  Son  of  God  incarnate  is  exhibited  the 
brightest,  the  fairest  resemblance  of  the  Father,  that 
heaven  and  earth  ever  beheld,  an  example  peculiarly 
persuasive,  calculated  to  inspire  resolution,  and  to  ani- 
mate us  to  use  our  utmost  endeavors  to  imitate  the  divine 
pattern,  the  example  of  the  author  and  finisher  of  our 
faith,  of  him  who  loved  us,  and  gave  himself  for  its.  Our 
profession  and  character  as  Christians  oblige  us  to  make 
this  example  the  model  of  our  lives.  Every  motive  of 
decency,  gratitude,  and  interest,  constrain  us  to  tread  the 
paths  he  trod  before  us. 

We  should  also  remember  that  our  burden  is  easy; 
because  God,  who  knoweth  ichereof  ice  are  made,  who 
considereth  that  we  are  but  dust,  is  ever  ready  to  assist 
us.  The  heathens  themselves  had  some  notion  of  this  as- 
sistance, though  guided  only  by  the  glimmering  lamp  of 
reason.  But  what  they  looked  upon  as  probable,  the 
Gospel  clearly  and  strongly  asserts.  We  there  hear  the 
apostle  exhorting,  Let  us  come  boldly  to  the  throne  of 
grace,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help 
in  time  of  need.  We  there  hear  the  blessed  Jesus  him- 
self arguing  in  this  convincing  manner:  If  ye.  being  evil, 


88  FROM   THE    BIRTH   OF    CHRIST, 

know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children,  how 
much  more  shall  your  heavenly  Father  give  the  holy  spirit 
to  them  that  ask  him? 

We  would  not  here  be  understood  to  mean,  that  the 
agency  of  the  spirit  is  irresistible,  and  lays  a  necessitating 
bias  on  all  the  faculties  and  affections.  Were  this  the 
case,  precepts  and  prohibitions,  promises  and  threatnings, 
would  signify  nothing ;  and  duty  and  obligation  would  be 
words  without  a  raeauing.  The  spirit  assisteth  in  a  man- 
ner agreeable  to  the  frame  of  human  nature;  not  control- 
ing  the  free  use  of  reason,  but  by  assisting  the  under- 
standing, influencing  the  will,  and  moderating  the  affec- 
tions. But  though  we  may  not  be  able  to  explain  the 
mode  of  his  operations,  the  scriptures  warrant  us  to  as- 
sert, that  when  men  are  renewed  and  prepared  for 
heaven,  it  is  through  sanctiflcation  of  the  sjririt,  and  be- 
lief of  the  truth.  How  enlivening  the  thought !  how  en- 
couraging the  motive!  We  are  not  left  to  struggle  alone 
with  the  difficulties  which  attend  the  practice  of  virtue, 
in  the  present  imperfect  state.  The  merciful  Father  of 
our  spirit  is  ever  near  to  help  our  infirmities,  to  enlighten 
the  understanding,  to  strengthen  good  resolutions,  and  in 
concurrence  with  our  own  endeavors,  to  make  us  con- 
querors over  all  opposition.  Faithful  is  he  to  his  prom- 
ises, and  will  not  suffer  the  sincere  and  well  disposed  to 
be  tempted  above  what  they  are  able  to  bear.  What  can 
be  desired  more  than  this?  To  promote  the  happiness  of 
his  people,  every  thing  is  done  that  is  requisite,  his  grace 
is  all  sufficient,  his  spirit  is  able  to  conduct  us  through 
this  vale  of  tears,  to  never-fading  bliss. 

We  should  also  remember,  that  the  great  doctrine  of 
the  Gospel,  concerning  the  propitious  mercy  of  God  to  all 
penitents,  through  Christ  Jesus,  greatly  contributes  to  the 
consolation  of  Christians.  Let  it  be  granted,  that  the 
hope  of  pardon  is  essential  to  the  religion  of  fallen 
creatures,  and  one  of  its  first  principles,  yet,  considering 
the  doubts  and  suspicions  which  are  apt  to  arise  in  a 
mind  conscious  of  guilt,  it  is  undoubtedly  a  great  and  in- 
estimable favor,  to  be  relieved  in  this  respect,  by  the  in- 
terposition of  Divine  assistance.  This  is  our  happiness. 
We  are  fully  assured,  that  upon  our  true  repentance,  we 


TO   HIS    ASCENSION    INTO   HEAVEN.  8$ 

shall,  through  the  mediation  of  Christ,  receive  the  fall 
remission  of  sins,  and  be  restored  to  the  same  state  and 
favor  with  our  Maker,  as  if  we  had  never  transgressed 
his  laws.  Here  the  Gospel  triumphs.  With  these  as- 
surances it  abounds.  Upon  this  head  the  declaration  of 
our  Blessed  Saviour  and  his  Apostles  are  so  express  and 
full,  that  every  one  who  believes  them,  and  knows  him- 
self to  be  a  true  penitent,  must  banish  every  doubt  and 
fear,  and  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable.  Come  unto  me 
all  ye  that  labor,  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you 
rest.  Matt.  xi.  28.  till  manner  of  sin  and  blasphemy 
shall  be  forgiven  unto  men.  Matt.  xii.  31.  Be  it  known 
unto  you  therefore  men  and  brethren,  that  through  this 
man  is  preached  unto  you  the  forgiveness  of  sins  ;  and  by 
him  all  that  believe  are  justified  from  all  things,  from 
which  we  could  not  be  justified  by  the  laxv  of  Moses.  Acts 
xiii,  38,  39.  What  grace  and  favor  is  this!  who  can 
dwell  upon  the  transporting  theme  too  long!  Now  our 
way  is  plain  before  us,  and  the  burden  we  are  to  bear  is 
made  comfortably  easy.  No  sins  are  unpardonable,  if 
repented  and  forsaken. 

Consider  this,  all  ye  who  have  never  yet  regarded  re- 
ligion, but  pursued  a  course  of  vice  and  sensuality  all 
your  lives  long.  Though  your  conduct  has  been  base,  to 
the  last  degree,  your  case  is  not  desperate.  Far  from  it. 
The  God  whom  you  have  so  highly  offended  commiser- 
ates your  errors,  is  ever  ready  to  extend  his  pardoning 
mercy  to  his  most  degenerate  creatures,  upon  their  faith 
and  repentance,  and  is  in  Christ  Jesus  reconciling  the 
world  to  himself,  not  imputing  unto  penitent  sinners  their 
trespasses.  Let  the  wicked,  therefore,  forsake  his  way, 
and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts;  and  let  him  re- 
turn unto  the  Lord,  and  he  icill  have  mercy  upon  him ; 
and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon.  Isaiah 
lv.  7. 

Another  particular,  which  renders  the  Christian  re- 
ligion delightful  is,  its  leading  us  to  the  perfect,  eternal 
life  of  heaven.  It  cannot  be  denied  but  that  we  may  draw 
from  the  light  of  nature  strong  presumptions  of  a  future 
state.  The  present  existence  does  not  look  like  an  entire 
scene,  but  rather  like  the  infancy  of  human  nature,  which 

voi,.  it.        M 


90  FROM    THE    BIRTH    OF    CHRIST, 

is  capable  of  arriving  at  a  much  higher  degree  of  maturi- 
ty; but  whatever  solid  foundation  the  doctrine  of  a  future 
state  may  have  had,  in  nature  and  reason,  certain  it  is, 
•through  the  habitual  neglect  of  reflection,  and  the  force  of 
irregular  passions,  this  doctrine  was,  before  the  coming 
of  our  Blessed  Saviour,  very  much  disfigured,  and,  in  a 
great  measure,  lost,  among  the  sons  of  men. 

In  the  heathen  world,  a  future  state  of  rewards  and 
punishments  was  a  matter  of  mere  speculation  and  un- 
certainty, sometimes  hoped  for,  sometimes  doubted  of, 
and  sometimes  absolutely  denied.  The  law  of  Moses, 
though  of  divine  original,  is  chiefly  inforced  by  promises 
of  temporal  blessings;  and,  even  in  the  writings  of  the 
prophets,  a  future  immortality  is  very  sparingly  mention- 
ed, and  obscurely  represented,  but  the  doctrine  of  our 
Saviour  hath  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light.  In 
the  gospel  we  have  a  distinct  account  of  another  world, 
attended  with  many  engagiug  circumstances ;  about  which 
the  decisions  of  reason  were  dark  and  confused.  We 
have  the  testimony  of  the  author  of  our  religion,  who  was 
raised  from  the  dead,  and  who  afterwards,  in  the  presence 
of  his  disciples,  ascended  into  heaven.  In  the  New  Tes- 
tament it  is  expressly  declared,  that  good  men,  when  ab- 
sent from  the  body,  are  present  with  the  Lord.  Here  we 
are  assured  of  the  resurrection  of  the  body  in  a  glorious 
form,  clothed  with  immortal  vigor,  suited  to  the  active 
nature  of  the  animating  spirit,  and  assisting  its  most  en 
larged  operations  and  incessant  progress  towards  perfec- 
tion. Here  we  are  assured,  that  the  righteous  shall  go 
into  life  everlasting,  that  they  shall  enter  into  the  heaven- 
ly Canaan,  where  no  ignorance  shall  cloud  the  under- 
standing, no  vice  disturb  the  will.  In  these  regions  of 
perfection,  nothing  but  love  shall  possess  the  soul;  noth- 
ing but  gratitude  employ  the  tongue ;  there  the  righteous 
shall  be  united  to  an  innumerable  company  of  angels, 
and  to  the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first  born : 
there  they  shall  sec  their  exalted  Redeemer,  at  the  right 
hand  of  Omnipotence,  and  sit  down  with  him  on  his 
throne;  there  they  shall  be  admitted  into  the  immediate 
presence  of  the  supreme  fountain  of  life  and  happiness. 


TO    MIS    ASCENSION    ISTO    HE  U'F.X.  9J 

and.  beholding  lus  face,  be  changed  into  the  same  image, 
from  glory  to  glery. 

Here  language — here  imagination,  fails  as !  It  requires 
tin4  genius,  the  knowledge,  the  pen  of  an  angel,  to  paint 
the  happiness,  the  blissful  scene  of  the  New  Jerusalem, 
which  human  eves  cannot  behold,  till  this  mortal  body 
shall  be  purified  from  its  corruption,  and  dressed  in  the 
robes  of  immortality:  "  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard, 
neither  hath  it  entered  into  the  heart  to  conceive,  the  joys 
which  God  bath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him." 

"What  is  the  heaven  of  the  heathens  when  compared 
with  the  heaven  of  the  Christians?  The  hope,  the  prospect 
of  this,  is  sufficient  to  reconcile  us  to  all  the  difficulties 
that  may  attend  our  progress,  sweeten  all  our  labors,  alle- 
viate every  grief,  and  silence  every  murmur. 

But  why,  says  the  libertine  in  the  gaiety  of  his  heart, 
should  there  be  any  difficulties,  or  restraint,  at  all?  God 
hath  made  nothing  in  vain.  The  appetites  he  hath 
planted  in  the  human  breast  are  to  be  gratified.  To  deny 
or  restrain  them,  is  ignominious  bondage;  but  to  give  full 
scope  to  every  desire  and  passion  of  the  heart,  without 
check  or  control,  is  true  manly  freedom. 

In  opposition  to  this  loose  and  careless  way  of  reason- 
ing, let  it  be  considered,  that  the  liberty  of  a  rational 
creature  doth  not  consist  in  an  entire  exemption  from  all 
control,  but  in  following  the  dictates  of  reason,  as  the 
governing  principle,  and  in  keeping  the  various  passions 
in  due  subordination.  To  follow  the  regular  notion  of 
those  affections  which  the  wise  Creator  hath  implanted 
within  us,  is  our  duty;  but  as  our  natural  desires,  in  this 
state  of  trial,  are  often  irregular,  we  are  bound  to  restrain 
their  excesses,  and  not  indulge  them,  but  in  a  strict  sub- 
serviency to  the  integrity  and  peace  of  our  minds,  and  to 
the  order  and  happiness  of  human  society  established  in 
the  world.  Those  who  allow  the  supreme  command  to 
be  usurped  by  seusual  and  brutal  appetites,  may  promise 
themselves  liberties,  but  are  truly  and  absolutely  the 
servants  of  corruption.  To  be  vicious,  is  to  be  enslaved. 
We  behold  with  pity  those  miserable  objects  that  are 
chained  in  the  gallies,  or  confined  in  dark  prisons  and 
loathsome  dungeons :  but  how  much  more  abject  and  vile 


9S  FROM    THE   BIRTH    OF    CHRIST, 

is  the  slavery  of  the  sinner !  No  slavery  of  the  body  is 
equal  to  the  bondage  of  the  mind :  no  chains  press  so 
closely,  or  gall  so  cruelly,  as  the  fetters  of  sin,  which 
corrode  the  very  substance  of  the  soul,  and  fret  every 
faculty. 

It  must,  indeed,  be  confessed,  that  there  are  some 
profligates,  so  hardened  by  customs,  as  to  be  past  all 
feeling;  and,  because  insensible  of  their  bondage,  boast 
of  this  insensibility  as  a  mark  of  their  native  freedom, 
and  of  their  happiness.  Vain  men!  they  might  extol, 
with  equal  propriety,  the  peculiar  happiness  of  an 
apoplexy,  or  the  profound  tranquility  of  a  lethargy. 

Thus  have  we  endeavored  to  place,  in  a  plain  and  con- 
spicuous light,  some  of  the  peculiar  excellencies  of  the 
Christian  religion  ;  and,  from  hence,  many  useful  reflec- 
tions will  naturally  arise  in  the  mind  of  every  attentive 
reader.  It  is  the  religion  of  Jesus  that  hath  removed 
idolatry  and  superstition,  and  brought  immortality  to 
light,  when  concealed  under  a  veil  of  darkness  almost  im- 
penetrable. This  hath  set  the  great  truths  of  religion  in 
a  clear  and  conspicuous  point  of  view,  and  proposed  new 
and  powerful  motives  to  influence  our  minds,  and  to  de- 
termine our  conduct.  Nothing  is  enjoined  to  be  believed, 
but  what  is  worthy  of  God ;  nothing  to  be  practised,  but 
what  is  friendly  to  man.  All  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel 
are  rational  and  consistent ;  all  its  precepts  are  truly  wise, 
just,  and  good.  The  gospel  contains  nothing  grievous  to 
an  ingenuous  mind ;  it  debars  us  from  nothing,  but  doing 
harm  to  ourselves,  or  to  our  fellow  creatures ;  and  permits 
us  to  range  any  where,  but  in  the  paths  of  danger  and 
destruction.  It  only  requires  us  to  act  up  to  its  excellent 
commands,  and  to  prefer  to  the  vanishing  pleasure  of  sin, 
the  smiles  of  a  reconciled  God,  and  an  eternal  weight  of 
glory. 

Surely  no  man  who  is  a  real  friend  to  the  cause  of 
virtue,  and  to  the  interest  of  mankind,  can  ever  be  an 
enemy  to  Christianity,  if  he  truly  understands  it,  and  se- 
riously reflects  on  its  wise  and  useful  tendency.  It  con- 
ducted us  to  our  journey's  end,  by  the  plainest  and  se- 
curest path;  where  the  steps  are  not  straitened,  and 
where  he  that  runneth  stumbletk  not. 


TO   HIS    ASCENSION    INTO   HEAVEN.  93 

Wc  ought  daily  to  adore  the  God  of  nature,  for  light- 
ing up  the  sun,  that  glorious,  though  imperfect  image  of 
his  own  unapproachable  lustre;  and  appointing  it  to  gild 
the  earth  with  its  various  rays,  to  cheer  us  with  its  benign 
influence,  and  to  guide  and  direct  us  in  our  journies 
and  our  labors.  But  how  incomparably  more  valuable  is 
that  day-spring  from  on  high,  which  hath  visited  us,  to 
give  light  to  them  that  sit  in  darkness,  and  in  the  shadow 
of  death,  and  to  guide  our  feet  into  the  way  of  peace  P  Oh 
Christians,  whose  eyes  are  so  happy  to  see,  and  your 
ears  to  hear,  what  abundant  reason  have  you  to  give  daily 
and  hourly  praise  to  your  beneficent  Creator!  When, 
therefore,  your  minds  are  delighted  with  contemplating 
the  riches  of  the  Gospel,  when  you  reflect  (as  you  cer- 
tainly must  do)  with  wonder  and  joy  on  the  happy  means 
of  your  redemption;  when  you  feel  the  burthen  of  your 
guilt  removed,  the  freedom  of  your  address  to  the  throne 
of  Grace  encouraged,  and  see  the  prospect  of  a  fair  in- 
heritance of  eternal  glory  opening  upon  you ;  then,  in  the 
pleasing  transports  of  your  souls,  borrow  the  joyful  an- 
them of  the  psalmist,  and  say,  with  the  humblest  gratitude 
and  self-resignation,  God  is  the  Lord  who  sheweth  us 
light;  bind  the  sacrifice  with  cords,  even  to  the  horns  of 
the  altar.  Adore  God,  who  first  commanded  the  light  to 
shine  out  of  darkness,  that  by  the  discoveries  of  his  word, 
and  the  operations  of  his  spirit,  he  hath  shined  in  your 
hearts,  to  give  you  the  knowledge  of  his  glory,  as  refected 
from  the  face  of  his  Son. 

Blest  arc  the  souls  that  hear  and  know 

The  Gospel's  joyful  sound  ; 
Peace  shall  attend  the  paths  they  go, 

And  light  their  steps  surround. 

Their  joy  shall  bear  their  spirits  up, 

Through  their  Redeemer's  name  I 
His  righteousness  exalts  their  hope. 

Nor  Satan  dares  condemn. 

The  Lord,  our  glory  and  defence. 

Strength  and  salvation  gives: 
Christian,  thy  king  for  ever  reigns 

Thv  God  forever  live*. 


94  FliOM   THE   BIRTH   OF  CHRIST, 

Let  us,  therefore,  who  live  under  the  Gospel,  the  most 
gracious  dispensation  bestowed  by  God  to  mankind, 
count  all  things  but  loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord;  and  not  suffer  our- 
selves, by  the  slight  cavils  of  unbelievers,  to  be  moved 
aivay  from  the  hope  of  the  Gospel.  Let  us  demonstrate 
that  we  believe  the  superior  excellency  of  the  Christian 
dispensation,  by  conforming  to  its  precepts.  Let  us  shew 
that  we  are  Christians  in  deed,  and  in  truth;  not  by  end- 
less disputes  about  trifles,  and  the  transports  of  a  blind 
zeal,  but  by  abounding  in  those  fruits  of  righteousness, 
which  are,  through  Christ,  to  the  praise  and  glory  of 
God. 

From  what  has  been  said,  we  may  clearly  perceive  how 
groundless  all  those  prejudices  are,  which  some  conceive 
against  religion,  as  if  it  was  a  peevish,  morose  thing,  bur- 
densome to  human  nature,  and  inconsistent  with  the  true 
enjoyment  of  life.  Such  sentiments  are  too  apt  to  prevail 
in  the  heat  of  youth,  when  the  spirits  are  brisk  and  lively, 
and  the  passions  warm  and  impetuous;  but  it  is  wholly  a 
mistake,  and  a  mistake  of  the  most  dangerous  tendency. 
The  truth  is,  there  is  no  pleasure  like  that  of  a  good  con- 
science ;  no  real  peace  but  what  results  from  a  sense  of 
the  Divine  favor.  This  enables  the  mind,  and  can  alone 
support  it  under  all  the  various  and  unequal  scenes  of  the 
present  state  of  trial.  This  lays  a  sure  foundation  of  an 
easy,  comfortable  life,  of  a  serene,  peaceful  death,  and  of 
eternal  joy  and  happiness  hereafter ;  whereas  vice  is  ruin- 
ous to  all  our  most  valuable  interests ;  spoils  the  native 
beauty,  and  subverts  the  order  of  the  soul ;  renders  us  the 
scorn  of  man,  the  rejected  of  God,  and,  without  timely  re- 
pentance, will  rob  us  of  a  happy  eternity.  Religion  is 
the  health,  the  liberty,  and  the  happiness  of  the  Soul;  sin 
is  the  disease,  the  servitude,  and  destruction  of  it. — It 
will,  perhaps,  be  said,  that  the  sons  of  vice  and  riot  have 
pleasure  in  sensual  indulgences.  This  we  allow;  but 
must  observe,  that  it  is  altogether  of  the  lowest  kind, 
empty,  fleeting,  and  transient;  like  the  crackling  of  thorns 
under  a  pot,  so  is  the  mirth  of  the  wicked.  It  makes  a 
noise  and  a  blaze  for  the  present ;  but  soon  vanishes  away 
into  smoke  and  vapor. 


TO    HIS    ASCENSION    INTO    HEAVEN.  Q9 

On  the  other  hand,  the  pleasure  of  religion  is  solid  and 
lasting;  and  will  attend  us  through  all,  even  the  last 
stages  of  life.  When  we  have  passed  the  levity  of  youth, 
and  have  lost  all  relish  for  gay  entertainments ;  when  old 
age  steals  upon  us,  and  stoops  towards  the  grave,  this 
will  cleave  fast  to  us,  and  give  us  relief. 

Clad  in  this  immortal  robe,  we  need  not  fear  the  awful 
summons  of  the  king  of  terrors,  nor  regret  our  retiring 
into  the  chambers  of  the  dust.  Our  immortal  part  will 
wing  its  way  to  the  arms  of  its  Redeemer,  and  find  rest 
in  the  heavenly  mansions.  And  though  our  earthly  part, 
this  tabernacle  of  clay,  returns  to  its  original  dust,  and  is 
dissolved,  our  joy,  our  consolation,  our  confidence  is,  that 
we  have  a  building  of  God,  a  house  not  made  with 
hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens. 

Such  will  be  the  happy  consequences  attendant  on  all 
those  who  strictly  adhere  to  the  Christian  religion,  and 
diligently,  through  the  course  of  their  lives,  follow  (as  far 
as  human  nature  will  admit)  the  precepts  laid  down  by 
their  Divine  Master,  the  Great  Saviour  and  Redeemer  of 
the  world. 

Who  shall  inhabit  in  thy  hill, 

O  God  of  Holiness  ? 
Whom  will  the  Lord  admit  to  dwell 

So  near  his  throne  of  grace? 

The  man  that  walks  in  pious  ways, 

And  works  with  righteous  hands, 
That  trusts  his  Maker's  promises, 

And  follows  his  commands. 

He  speaks  the  meaning  of  his  heart, 

Nor  slanders  with  his  tongue; 
Will  scarce  believe  an  ill  report, 

Nor  do  his  neighbor  wronar. 

The  wealthy  sinner  he  contemns, 

Loves  all  that  fear  the  Lord; 
And  throughout  life,  in  all  he  says, 

Most  strictly  keeps  his  word. 

His  handstlisdain  a  golden  bribe, 

And  never  gripe  the  poor  : 
This  man  shall  dwell  with  God  on  earth, 

And  find  his  heaven  secure. 


A 

NEW  AND  COMPLETE 

UNIVERSAL  HISTORY 

OF   THE 

HOLY  BIBLE. 

PART  II. 

FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  OUR  BLESSED  LORD  INTO  HEAVEN,  TO  THE  FULL 

ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY,  BY  HIS  APOSTLES  AND  OTHER 

PROPAGATORS  OF  HIS  GOSPEL. 

book  n. 

[INCLUDING   A    PERIOD    OF    64   YEARS.] 

CHAP.  I. 

After  our  Lord's  ascension  into  heaven  the  apostles  return  to 
Jerusalem,  and  elect  Matthias  into  their  number.  They  are 
all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  Jeivs  are  surprised  at  the 
event,  and  some  of  them  endeavor  to  turn  it  into  ridicule; 
but  Peter  confutes  their  calumny,  and,  by  an  admirable  speech 
on  the  occasion,  makes  many  converts.  Peter  performs  a 
miracle,  and  makes  another  speech  to  the  people,  which  proves 
highly  successful  to  the  propagation  of  the  gospel.  Jit  the 
instigation  of  the  rulers  of  the  Jeivs,  the  twelve  apostles  are 
committed  to  prison,  and  taken  before  the  Sanhedrim;  but, 
after  an  unanswerable  vindication  of  their  conduct,  are  dis- 
missed. The  punishment  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira.  Peter 
cures  many  people  of  different  infirmities.  The  apostles  are 
again  committed  to  prison,  hit  released  in  the  night  by  an 
aol.  iv.         N 


98  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OP  CHRIST, 

angel  from  heaven.  They,  however,  go  before  the  Sanhedrim, 
and  are  sentenced  to  be  scourged.  They  elect  seven  deacons 
as  stewards  of  the  public  stock  for  the  relief  of  the  distressed. 
Stephen,  one  of  the  new-elected  deacons,  is  accused  of  blas- 
phemy, and  taken  before  the  Sanhedrim.  He  vindicates  him- 
self before  his  judges,  and  boldly  accuses  the  Jeivs  of  being 
more  impious  than  their  ancestors.  The  Jeivs  are  so  enraged 
at  this,  that  they  unmercifully  drag  him  out  of  the  city,  and 
stone  him  to  death.  Saul,  a  young  man  of  Cilicia,  is  particu- 
larly active  in  the  death  of  Stephen,  and,  at  his  instigation, 
most  of  the  Christian  converts  are  compelled  to  leave  Jeru- 
salem. 

THE  Blessed  Saviour  of  the  world  having  fulfilled 
all  things  prophesied  of  his  mission  here  on  earth,  and 
having,  in  a  most  solemn  manner,  taken  leave  of  his  dis- 
ciples, visibly  retired  before  their  eyes  to  eternal  rest  in 
his  Father's  kingdom.  With  hearts  full  of  grief  and  ad- 
miration they  deplored  the  loss  of  the  presence  of  their 
dear-loved  Lord ;  and,  with  longing  eyes,  paid  their  last 
attendance  till  he  disappeared.  They  continued,  for 
some  time,  fondly  looking  towards  the  place  where  their 
Lord  was  gone,  till  at  length  two  angels  in  the  shape  of 
men,  and  gloriously  apparelled,  appeared  before  them, 
and  delivered  a  message  of  consolation  to  this  effect : 
u  Forbear,  O  Galileans,  your  further  admiration:  Your 
u  gracious  Lord,  whom  even  now  you  beheld  ascending  to 
"  heaven,  shall  one  day  come  to  judge  the  world  in  as 
"  glorious  a  maimer  as  he  now  departed  from  you.  He 
i(  hath  not  absolutely  left  you,  but  is  gone  to  take  pos- 
":  session  of  that  kingdom  which  he  will  contiuue  to  gov- 
u  ern  to  the  end  of  the  world." 

The  apostles  and  disciples  of  our  Lord  (among  whom 
was  Mary  the  mother  of  Jesus,  and  some  other  pious 
women  who  had  attended  him  in  his  ministry)  being 
greatly  comforted  by  this  Divine  message,  immediately 
returned  to  Jerusalem,  where  they  spent  their  time  in 
acts  of  religious  worship,  assembling  daily  in  a  certain 
upper  room  which  they  had  made  choice  of  for  that  pur- 
pose. 

Peter  had  thought  it  necessary  that  a  proper  person 
should  be  chosen  to  supply  the  place  of  the  perfidious 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.       {)]} 

Judas,  that  the  number  of  the  apostles  might  be  twelve, 
as  was  originally  appointed  by  their  Master.  To  effect 
I  his.  in  one  of  their  assemblies  (which  consisted  of  an 
hundred  and  twenty)  Peter  addressed  himself  to  his 
fellow-apostles  in  a  speech  which  he  had  made  for  the 
purpose,  the  substance  of  which  was  to  this  effect:  u  Ye 
**'  know,  brethren,  what  the  royal  prophet  David*  fore- 
u  told,  and  which  has  been  punctually  fulfilled,  concern- 
"  ing  Judas,  who  was  of  our  society,  a  fellow-disciple, 
u  and  an  apostle  chosen  with  us.  For  a  sum  of  money 
*'•  lie  betrayed  his  Master  to  his  enemies,  after  which, 
u  being  troubled  for  what  he  had  done,  he  returned  the 
''  money  to  the  priest,  who,  not  daring  to  put  it  into  the 
€t  treasury,  bought  a  field  with  it  for  the  interment  of 
u  strangers.  This  fact,  and  the  fate  of  Judas,  was 
tt  universally  known  to  all  that  dwelt  in  Jerusalem,  and 
u  therefore  the  field  that  was  bought  with  that  money 
(i  was  vulgarly  kuown  by  the  name  of  the  Field  of 
"  Blood.  To  Judas,  therefore,  belongs  that  which  is 
**  mentioned  by  the  holy  Psalmist,!  not  by  way  of  exe- 
u  cration,  but  of  prediction :  that  as  he  should  come  to  a 
a  desperate  miserable  end,  so  the  office  which  he  had 
"  h  -Id  with  the  rest  of  the  twelve,  should  be  bestowed  on 
*'  another.  It  is  then  our  duty,  according  to  this  prophecy, 
u  to  make  choice  of  some  one  of  these  persons  that  are 
ft  present  (and  who  have  continued  with  us  ever  since  our 
"  Lord  undertook  the  charge  and  care  of  us,  till  his 
"  ascension  into  heaven)  that  he  may  succeed  Judas  iu 
"  the  apostleship." 

The  proposition  made  by  Peter  was  unanimously  ap- 
proved of  by  the  assembly ;  upon  which  two  candidates 
W'M-e  immediately  nominated,  namely,  Jonas,  surnamed 
Barnabas,  and  Matthias,  one  of  tiie  seventy  disciples. 
The  choice  of  one  of  these  two  was  to  be  determined  by 
lot,  previous  to  which  the  apostles  solemnly  invoked  the 
Divine  direction  in  the  following  words:  Thou,  Lord, 
which  knoicest  the  hearts  of  all  men,  sheiv  whether 
of  those  two  thou  hast  chosen,  that  he  may  take  part  of 

*  Psl.xli.  9. 

t  Psal.  Jxix.  25.  and  cix.  S 


100  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

this  ministry  and  apostleship,  from  which  Judas,  by 
transgression,  fell.  Acts  i.  %%  25.  Having  said  this, 
they  proceeded  to  draw  lots,  which  happening  to  fall  on 
Matthias,  he  was  accordingly  elected  into  the  number  of 
the  twelve  apostles. 

The  number  of  the  apostles  being  now  complete,  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost,*  they  all  assembled  together  at 
their  accustomed  place,  in  order  to  perform  their  religious 
duties.  While  they  were  thus  employed,  a  prodigious 
noise  (much  like  the  rushing  of  a  loud  impetuous  wind) 
suddenly  filled  all  the  house  in  which  they  were,  and  a 
kind  of  fiery  vapor,  or  exhalation,  formed  in  the  figure 
of  a  man's  tongue,  but  divided  a  little  at  the  tip,  sat  on 
the  head  of  each ;  whereupon  they  were  all  immediately 
filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and,  by  its  Divine  inspira- 
tion, were  enabled  to  speak  in  several  different  languages. 

At  this  time  there  were  at  Jerusalem  many  Jews  and 
proselytes,  who  had  come  thither  from  different  parts  of 
the  world,  to  the  celebration  of  the  feast.  When  these, 
therefore,  were  informed  of  the  great  miracle  which  had 
taken  place  with  the  apostles,  and  were  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  it  by  hearing  them  speak  the  languages  of  their 
respective  countries,  they  were  greatly  astonished,  and 
knew  not  what  to  make  of  so  singular  an  event.  Some  of 
them  argued  among  themselves  to  this  effect:  "  How 
(i  have  these  men,  who  are  natives  of  Galilee,  and  have 

*  This  word  is  derived  from  the  Greek,  and  signifies  the  fiftieth, 
because  the  Feast  of  Pentecost  was  celebrated  the  fiftieth  day  after 
the  sixteenth  of  the  month  Nisan,  which  was  the  second  day  of  the 
Feast  of  the  Passover,  Levit.  xxiii.  15,  16.  And  for  the  same 
reason  it  is  called  the  Feast  of  Weeks,  because  it  was  observed  seven 
weeks  after  the  Passover,  Deut.  xvi.  9.  It  was  at  first  instituted  in 
order  to  oblige  the  Jews  to  repair  to  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  there  to 
acknowledge  his  dominion  and  sovereignty  over  all  their  labors,  and 
there  to  render  thanks  to  him  for  the  law,  which  he  gave  them  on  the 
fiftieth  day  after  their  departure  out  of  Egypt.  In  like  manner,  the 
Christian  Church  celebrates  the  feast  of  Pentecost  fifty  days,  or 
seven  weeks,  after  the  Passover,  or  resurrection  of  our  Blessed 
Saviour,  to  put  us  in  remembrance,  that  the  Gifts  of  the  Spirit  were 
then  poured  out  in  a  plentiful  manner,  as  the  first-fruits  of  our 
Saviour's  ascension  into  heaven,  and  that  the  Gospel  began  to  be 
published  by  the  apostles  on  the  like  day  that  the  ancient  Law  was 
given  to  the  Hebrews. 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.      101 

(t  continued  all  their  lives  there,  acquired  this  knowledge? 
"  For  in  our  respective  languages  we  hear  them  preach* 
(t  ing  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  and  the  wonderful  things 
"  God  hath  wrought  by  him.  This  certainly  must  imply 
"  something  of  very  great  moment/'  But  others  were  of 
a  different  opinion,  and,  in  a  scoffing  manner,  ridiculed 
the  miracle,  attributing  the  powers  possessed  by  the 
apostles  to  arise  from  inebriation :  These  men  (said  they) 
are  full  of  new  wine*         ' 

To  destroy  this  calumny,  and  to  open  the  eyes  of  the 
yet  deluded  and  perverse  Jews,  Peter,  in  the  name  of  the 
rest,  addressed  the  multitude  in  a  most  admirable  speech, 
the  substance  of  which  was  to  the  following  effect :  "  Ye 
men  of  Judea,  and  all  that  at  this  time  see  and  hear 
what  the  Lord  hath  done,  be  assured  these  things  are 
not  the  effect  of  wine :  ye  know  in  your  consciences,  it 
cannot  be  so,  since  it  is  but  the  third  hour  of  the  day.* 
But  this  is  the  completion  of  a  famous  prophecy  of  Joel, 
who  saith,  In  the  last  days  I  will  four  out  my  Spirit 
upon  all  flesh;  your  sons  and  your  daughters  shall 
prophecy,  your  young  men  shall  see  visions,  and  your 
old  men  shall  dream  dreams.\  All  ranks  and  qualities 
of  men  shall  receive  the  effusion  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
and  those  who  were  never  brought  up  in  the  schools  of 
the  prophets,  shall  be  enabled  to  preach  the  Gospel  of 
Christ  wherever  they  go.  And  after  that  there  shall  be 
fearful  and  astonishing  sights  and  prodigies,  and  many 
great  slaughters  in  Judea,  as  forerunners  and  prog- 
nostics of  the  destruction  which  shall  befal  this  people 
for  their  crucifying  Christ,  and  from  which  the  only 
way  to  rescue  yourselves  is,  to  repent  and  acknowledge 
him,  which  is  the  design  of  this  miraculous  descent  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  Observe  and  attend,  ye  men  of  Israel, 
for  you  are  chiefly  concerned  in  this  great  affair.  This 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  being  demonstrated  to  be  sent  from 
God  by  the  mighty  works  he  did  among  you,  all  which 
you  know  to  be  true :  Him,  I  say,  being  permitted  to 
fall  into  your  hands,  you  apprehended  and  barbarous- 

*  That  is,  nine  o'clock,  the  time  of  morning  prayers,  to  which  the 
Jews  generally  went  fasting. 
t  See  Joel  ii.  28. 


102  TROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST , 

ci  ly  crucified :  Him,  whom  God,  by  his  determinate 
li  council,  had  given  to  retrieve  you  from  your  lost  condi- 
"  tion,  ye,  with  profane  hands,  have  slain.  This  same 
(e  Jesus,  whom  ye  thus  treated,  hath  God  raised  again, 
"  delivering  him  from  the  power  of  death ;  and,  besides 
"  many  other  things,  the  prophecies  concerning  him  re- 
"  quired  that  he  should  not  long  lie  under  death.  Hear 
"  what  David  the  royal  psalmist  says,  I  have  set  the 
"  Lord  always  before  me :  because  he  is  at  my  right  hand, 
u  I  shall  not  be  moved.  Therefore  my  heart  is  glad,  and 
((  my  glory  rejoiceth :  my  flesh  also  shall  rest  in  hope. 
u  For  thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in  hell ;  neither  wilt 
"  thou  suffer  thine  Holy  One  to  see  corruption.    Thou 

65  wilt  shew  me  the  path  of  life:  in  thy  presence  is  ful- 
u  ness  of  joy,  at  thy  right  hand  there  are  pleasures  for 
{i  ever  more.  Give  me  leave,  brethren,  to  speak  freely 
"  concerning   David,    who   thus   prophesied.    He   died 

66  like  other  men,  had  a  solemn  interment,  and  Ave  have 
*'•'  his  monument  this  day  to  shew,  and  from  whence  he 
li  never  arose.  Therefore,  he  spake  not  of  himself,  but 
"  by  way  of  prediction  of  the  Messiah,  whom  he  knew 
"•'  would  infallibly  spring  from  his  loins,  and  be  a  prince 
u  and  ruler  of  his  church.  These  words  of  his  were 
a  prophetic,  and  literally  verified  in  the  resurrection  of 
f?  Jesus,  whose  soul  did  not  continue  so  long  in  a  state  of 
u  separation  as  that  his  body  should  be  corrupted ;  and 
u  accordingly  God  raised  him  up  in  three  days,  of  which 
u  all  we  apostles  were  eye-witnesses.  He  having,  there- 
(i  fore,  assumed  his  regal  state  and  office  in  heaven,  and 
»•  God  having  given  him  power  to  send  the  Holy  Ghost, 
(<  he  hath  now  punctually  fulfilled  his  promise  in  sending 
"  it  on  us  in  the  most  extensive  manner;  one  great  effect 
"  of  which  yourselves  can  testify,  by  haviug  heard  us 
£i  speak  languages  which,  a  short  time  before,  we  did  not 
ft  understand.  This  great  and  important  truth,  therefore, 
"  I  now  proclaim  to  you,  That  God  the  Father  hath 
*i  raised  up  that  Christ,  whom  ye  Jews  have  crucified, 
u.  and  that  he  now  sits  on  the  right  hand  of  him  in  the 
"  kingdom  of  heaven." 

This  speech,  or  rather  sermon,  of  Peter's,  so  wrought 
upon  the  minds  of  the  people,  that  they  called  out  most 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.       103 

passionately  to  him,  and  the  rest  of  the  apostles,  request- 
ing their  advice  what  measures  they  should  pursue,  in 
order  to  shake  oft'  that  guilt  with  which  they  had  been  so 
long  loaded.  Peter  readily  complied  with  their  request, 
and  in  a  most  tender  and  affectionate  address,  told  them, 
that  in  order  to  lay  aside  their  infidelity,  they  must,  with 
true  contrition,  acknowledge  their  sins,  enter  upon  the 
Christian  profession  with  a  firm  resolution  of  never  falling 
from  it;  aud  that  they  must  receive  baptism  from  the 
apostles,  who  were  thereby  empowered  to  convey  re- 
mission of  sins  to  all  true  penitents.  Repent  and  be  bap- 
tized every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  for 
the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  For  the  promise  is  unto  you  and  to  your 
children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the 
Lord  our  God  shall  call.   Acts  ii.  38,  39. 

In  consequence  of  this  affectionate  address,  those  who 
were  really  touched  with  what  Peter  had  said  im- 
mediately renounced  their  former  course  of  life,  and 
proved  the  sincerity  of  their  hearts  by  receiving  baptism. 
On  that  day  about  three  thousand  people  were  converted 
to  the  faith  of  Christ,  who  continued  assiduous  in  hearing 
the  apostles  teach,  and  in  bringing  their  goods  liberally 
for  the  relief  of  the  distressed.  Nor  were  the  converts 
only  impressed  with  fear  and  reverence,  but  a  general 
surprize  took  place  among  all  that  saw  these  strange  and 
early  operations  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  were  still 
farther  confirmed  by  several  miracles  performed  by  the 
apostles. 

The  Gospel  thus  gaining  ground,  those  that  received 
it  assembled  together  for  the  service  of  God,  constantly 
observing  the  times  of  public  prayers,  and  receiving  the 
sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper :  they  distributed  to  the 
necessities  of  the  poorer  sort  as  freely  as  God  had  given 
them  ability,  spending  their  time  in  acts  of  devotion  and 
charity,  and  exercising  works  of  mercy  to  all.  By  the 
pious  examples  of  these  many  others  were  induced  to 
join  them,  which  gave  the  apostles  a  fruitful  harvest  of 
their  ministry,  and  by  their  repeated  exhortations,  others 
were  daily  rescued  from  the  wicked  and  dangerous  con- 


104?  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

verse  of  the  perverse  Jews,  and  heartily  embraced  the 
doctrine  of  Christ. 

After  this  wonderful  reformation  among  the  people  in 
consequence  of  Peter's  discourses,  that  apostle,  accom- 
panied by  John,  went  one  day  to  the  temple  about  three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  which  was  one  of  the  times  gen- 
erally set  apart  for  prayer.  As  they  entered  in  at  the  gate 
of  the  temple  towards  the  east  in  Solomon's  porch,  which 
was  called  the  beautiful  gate,  they  saw  a  poor  cripple, 
who  had  been  lame  from  his  birth,  lying  there,  and 
begging  alms  of  those  who  passed  him.  As  soon  as  the 
cripple  saw  Peter  and  John,  he  looked  up  in  their  faces 
and  earnestly  begged  charity  of  them ;  upon  which  Peter, 
looking  steadfastly  at  him,  said,  Silver  and  gold  have  I 
none;  but  such  as  I  have  give  I  thee:  In  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth,  rise  up  and  walk.  No  sooner 
were  these  words  spoken  than  the  poor  cripple  was  made 
whole.  His  joints  became  strait  and  his  nerves  strong,  so 
that  he  went  with  the  apostles  into  the  temple,  walking, 
and  leaping,  and  praising  God. 

The  poor  man,  who  had  sat  daily,  for  a  long  time, 
asking  alms  at  the  door  of  the  temple,  was  universally 
known  by  the  people,  who  seeing  him  walking  and 
praising  God,  were  amazed  at  the  greatness  of  the  cure : 
they  therefore  flocked  in  great  numbers  round  the  apostles, 
by  whom  the  poor  man  kept  close,  being  unwilling  to 
part  with  those  from  whom  he  had  received  so  dis- 
tinguished a  benefit.  Peter,  observing  the  astonishment 
of  the  multitude,  and  thinking  it  a  convenient  opportuni- 
ty of  increasing  the  number  of  his  followers,  addressed 
himself  to  them  in  a  long  and  very  pertinent  harangue, 
the  substance  of  which  was  to  this  effect :  "  Ye  men  of 
"  Israel,  why  do  you  look  upon  this  cure  as  a  thing 
ci  strange?  Or  why  do  you  attribute  any  thing  to  us  in 
"  this  matter,  as  if  it  were  in  our  power  to  perform  so 
"  great  a  miracle?  The  God  of  our  fathers  gave  this 
"  power  to  Jesus,  whom  you  delivered  to  Pilate  to  be 
"  crucified,  releasing  a  known  murderer  and  a  thief,  and 
"  putting  to  death  Him,  who  came  to  give  life  to  the 
1 •  world ;  whom  God  hath  been  pleased  to  raise  from  the 
"  dead,  and  make  us  witnesses  thereof.   Be  assured,  it  is 


TO  TII£  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  or  CHRISTIANITY.     105 

by  belief  in  him  that  this  man  hath  been  recovered 
from   Ills   lameness.   The   man   you   all  well   know, 
having,  for  many  years,  seen  him  a  begging  cripple; 
t  and  the  faith  we  have  in  the  power  of  Him  on  whom 

•  we   believe,   hath   wrought   the   remarkable   cure   at 

•  which  yea  all  so  greatly  wonder.  I  do  imagiue, 
i  brethren,  thai  such  among  you  who  rejected  Christ  did 

•  it  through  ignorance,  not  knowing  him  to  be  the  Mes- 

•  siiih ;  and  that  the  like  was  the  case  with  your  rulers. 
'  But  by  these  means  the  many  prophecies  in  the 
i  scriptures,  that  the  Messiah  should  be  put  to  death, 

•  have  been  fulfilled.  Do  you,  therefore,  amend  your 
i  lives,  that  your  past  offences  may  be  pardoned,  and 
•'  that,  at  the  second  coming  of  Christ  for  the  delivery 
'  and  rescue  of  the  faithful,  you  may,  by  repentance,  be 
'  admitted  into  the  number  of  the  elect.  The  Christ  you 
'  have  persecuted,  and  of  whose  resurrection  we  have 
'  been  eye-witnesses,  hath  now  entered  upon  his  sove- 

•  reignty  in  heaven,  whereby  hath  been  fulfilled  all  the 
'  prophecies  concerning  him,  particularly  that  of  Moses, 

who  truly  said  unto  the  fathers,  .2  prophet  shall  the 
Lord  your  God  raise  up  unto  you  of  your  brethren, 

•  like  unto  me,  and  him  shall  ye  hear  in  all  things  ichat~ 
*'  soever  he  shall  say  unto  you.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass, 

•  that  every  soul  which  shall  not  hear  that  prophet,  shall 

•  be  destroyed  from  among  the  people.  Aud  not  only 
f  Moses,  but  all  the  prophets,  from  Samuel,  as  many  as 
i  have  spolcen,*  have  foretold  the  coming  of  the  Messiah, 
•'  with  the  destruction  of  those  who  should  reject,  and 
i  the  especial  mercies  to  them  that  shoulrf  believe  in  him. 
i  Ye  are  the  particular  persons  of  whom  the  prophets 
•'  foretold,  and  to  whom  the  promise  and  covenant  whicli 

*  The  account  of  the  prophets  is  here  begun  from  Samuel,  be- 
cause the  schools  of  the  prophets  were  first  instituted  and  erected  by 
him;  and  not  that  there  was  no  prophet  before  him.  The  sons  of 
the  prophets  spent  the  greater  part  of  their  time  in  studying  the  law, 
and  praising  and  serving  God,  and  some  were  sent  on  njessages  to 
the  people  (for  all  were  not  called  to  the  prophetic  office)  and  there- 
fore it  is  added,  as  many  (is  have  spoken;  that  is,  as  many  out  of  the 
schools  of  the  prophets  as  were  Divinely  called  to  the  prophetic 
office. 

VOL.  iv.  O 


106  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

a  God  made  Avith  Abraham  (that  in  his  seed  all  the 
a  nations  of  the  earth  should  be  blessed  J  did  primarily 
6i  belong.  Ye  are  the  heirs  of  this  covenant,  and  God 
li  hath  been  pleased  to  make  the  first  overtures  of  mercy 
u  to  you,  that  ye  might  receive  the  Gospel  of  his  beloved 
il  Son,  and  repent  of  the  iuiquities  which  ye  have  done  unto 
{s  him." — This  was  the  purport  of  St.  Peter's  speech  on 
this  occasion ;  and  such  was  its  efficacy,  that  it  converted 
so  many  of  his  hearers,  as  to  make  the  whole  number 
amount  to  no  less  than  five  thousand. 

While  Peter  was  instructing  the  people,  the  captain  of 
the  temple,  at  the  instigation  of  the  priests  and  sadducees, 
came  with  an  armed  force,  suddenly  seized  the  two 
apostles,  and  conducted  them  to  prison.  The  next 
morning  the  great  Sanhedrim  met,  and  having  ordered 
the  apostles  to  be  brought  before  them,  demanded  by 
what  power  they  had  wrought  that  miracle  upon  the 
lame  man,  and  who  it  was  that  gave  them  authority  to 
preach  to  the  people?  In  answer  to  these  questions, 
Peter,  being  endued  with  an  extraordinary  presence  of 
mind  and  elocution  of  tongue,  spoke  to  this  effect :  "  Ye 
"  rulers  of  the  people,  and  elders  of  Israel,  we  are  this 
"  day  examined  before  you  concerning  an  action,  which 
i;  is  so  far  from  being  criminal,  that  it  is  an  act  of  special 
"  mercy.  Be  assured,  that  the  miraculous  cure  performed 
"  on  the  lame  man  was  wrought  by  no  other  means,  than 
"•  by  invoking  the  name  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  whom  ye 
"  crucified,  and  God  most  miraculously  raised  again. 
u  This  is  he  that  was  prophesied  of  under  the  title  of  a 
"  refuse  stone,  rejected  by  you,  the  chief  of  the  Jews, 
"  and  treated  with  contempt;  but  is  now,  by  his  resurrec- 
i(  tion,  enthroned  in  power,  and  is,  indeed,  become  the 
(i  ruler  and  king  of  the  church,  the  prime  foundation- 
(i  stone  of  the  whole  fabric.  In  him  alone  must  salvation 
"  now  be  hoped  for  by  all ;  nor  can  ye  expect  to  be  saved 
"  unless  you  readily  receive,  and  heartily  embrace,  his 
"  doctrine." 

The  council,  seeing  with  what  courage  and  freedom  of 
speech  the  apostles  behaved  themselves,  and  withal  con- 
sidering that  their  education  alone  could  not  have  raised 
them  above  the  capacity  of  other  men  (being  neither 


TO  THE  ri'LL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.    107 

skilled  iii  the  learning  of  the  Jews,  nor,  as  men  of  dis- 
tinction, instructed  in  their  laws)  they  were  greatly 
astonished ;  and  still  more  so,  when  they  recollected  that 
the  two  apostles  were  of  those  who  had  attended  Jesus  in 
his  life  time,  and  saw  the  man  on  whom  they  had  wrought 
the  miraculous  cure  stand  by  them  ready  to  attest  the 
truth  of  it.  From  these  considerations  they  knew  not,  for 
some  time,  how  to  act,  till  at  length  they  resolved  to  hold 
a  private  conference  among  themselves,  and,  for  that 
purpose,  ordered  the  apostles  to  withdraw.  As  soon  as 
they  were  gone,  the  council  entered  into  debate  on  the 
subject,  arguing  with  one  another  to  this  effect:  "  As  to 
ft  the  men,  we  have  nothing  to  accuse  them  of;  for,  that 
ii  they  have  performed  a  great  miracle  is  apparent  to 
u  many,  and  the  man  that  was  healed  is  a  living  witness 
"  of  the  truth  of  it.  Since,  therefore,  they  have  not  been 
(i  guilty  of  any  breach  of  our  laws,  to  prevent  their  further 
(i  seducing  the  people  (who  are  too  apt  to  be  led  away  by 
fi  them)  we  will  call  them  in,  aud  forbid  them,  upon 
K  severe  penalties,  to  preach  Christ  and  his  Gospel  any 
u  more."  In  consequence  of  this  resolution,  the  two 
apostles,  were  called  in,  aud  commanded  not  to  talk  pri- 
vately, or  teach  publicly,  any  thing  concerning  the  faith  of 
Christ.  But  the  Christian  heroes,  whose  commission  was 
from  an  higher  power  than  any  on  earth,  slighting  this  in- 
terdict, and  all  their  threats,  made  answer,  "  That  since 
**'  they  had  received  a  command  from  heaven,  to  declare 
i;  to  all  nations  what  they  had  heard  or  seen,  it  was  cer~ 
"  tainly  their  duty  to  obey  God  rather  than  them."  This 
was  a  fair  appeal  to  the  consciences  of  their  very  judges; 
but  their  judges,  instead  of  being  satisfied  with  it,  would 
probably  have  proceeded  to  some  greater  violence,  had 
not  the  people's  veneration  for  the  apostles  put  a  restraint 
upon  their  malice.  All,  therefore,  that  they  dared  to  do 
was,  to  repeat  and  enforce  their  menaces ;  having  done 
which,  they  ordered  them  to  be  discharged. 

As  soou  as  the  two  apostles  were  dismissed,  they  re- 
turned with  great  joy  to  their  brethren,  who,  with  infinite 
satisfaction,  heard  the  report  of  all  that  had  passed. 
They  then  unanimously  glorified  God,  who,  by  his  holy 
prophet  David,  had  foretold  what  was  now  come  to  pags ; 


108  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

that  the  Jews  should  oppose  Christ,  say  false  things  of 
him,  deny  and  crucify  him.  first,  and,  when  God  had 
raised  him  from  the  dead,  oppose  the  preaching  of  him  * 
that  the  princes  and  governors,  Herod  and  Pontius  Pilate, 
should  combine  against  him,  and  the  rulers  should,  in 
council,  endeavor  to  suppress  the  propagation  of  his  doc- 
trine. And  now  Lord,  said  they,  behold  their  threaten- 
trigs;  and  grant  unto  thy  servants,  that  with  all  boldness 
they  may  speak  thy  word,  by  stretching  forth  thine  hand- 
to  heal;  and  thai  signs  and  iconders  may  be  done  by  the 
name  of  thy  holy  child  Jesus.  No  sooner  had  they  con- 
cluded their  prayer  than  the  house  in  which  they  were 
was  shaken  witli  a  mighty  wind,  in  like  manner  as  it  had 
been  before  on  the  day  of  Pentecost;  whereupon  they 
were  instantly  replenished  with  fresh  measures  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and,  notwithstanding  all  the  threats  of  the 
Jewish  rulers,  found  themselves  invigorated  to  preach  the 
Gospel  of  Christ  with  more  boldness  and  resolution  than 
ever. 

The  charity,  at  this  time,  among  believers,  was  very 
large  and  extensive.  Such  as  had  houses,  or  possessions 
of  any  kind,  sold  them,  and  deposited  the  money  in  the 
hands  of  the  apostles,  to  be  by  them  distributed,  in  due 
proportions,  according  to  the  necessities  of  their  brethren. 
This  a  certain  Levite,  (a  native  of  Cyprus,  called  Joses, 
but  by  the  apostles,  surnamed  Barnabas,  or  the  Son  of 
Consolation  J  did  with  great  readiness  and  singleness  of 
iieart,  selling  the  estate  of  which  he  was  possessed,  and 
giving  the  whole  produce  to  the  apostles.  In  imitation  of 
this  good  man,  one  Ananias,  with  his  wife  Sapphira,  re- 
solved to  devote  all  they  had  to  the  service  of  the  church; 
in  consequence  of  which  they  sold  their  estate,  but  after- 
wards altering  their  minds  jointly  agreed  to  keep  some 
part  of  the  money,  intending  thereby  to  impose  upon  the 
apostles.  Ananias  going  first  into  the  presence  of  the 
apostles,  with  great  assurance,  and  seeming  cheerfulness, 
produced  the  money,  and  laid  it  at  their  feet.  But  Peter, 
who,  by  Divine  inspiration,  knew  the  cheat,  in  a  holy  in- 
clignation  and  abhorrence  of  so  vile  an  act  of  sacrilege,  re- 
prehended hira  in  words  to  this  eflV.ct:  "  How,  0  Ana- 
"  nias,  hath  8a tan  persuaded  thee  thus  to  attempt  to  de- 


TO  Tim  IUI.I,  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     109 

(i  ceivc  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  purloining  purl  of  tliat  which 
••  thou  hadst  consecrated  to  God's  service,  and  the  use  of 
u  bis  church?  Before  thy  land  was  sold.  Mas  it  not 
"  wholly  thine?  And  when  it  was  sold,  didst  thou  not 
st  receive  the  full  price  for  it?  Was  it  not  then  in  thy  full 
{i  power  to  perform  thy  vow?  Thy  iniquitous  conduct  in 
ft  concealing  a  part  of  the  money  is  not  only  an  injury  to 
6i  the  church,  but  to  God,  who  knew  thy  private  vow,  that 
"  it  was  consecrating  of  all,  and  not  this  part  only  which 
"  thou  hast  brought  to  us."  These  piercing  words,  to- 
gether with  the  horrors  of  conscious  guilt,  so  impressed 
the  mind  and  heart  of  Ananias,  that  he  fell  down  dead  on 
the  spot,  to  the  great  astonishmeut  and  terror  of  all 
present;  and  his  body  was  immediately  taken  away  for 
interment.  About  three  hours  after,  his  wife  Sapphira 
went  to  the  assembly,  not  in  the  least  suspecting  what  had 
happened  to  her  sacrilegious  consort.  Peter  asked  her 
whether  the  sum  which  her  husband  had  brought  was  the 
"whole  for  which  their  estate  was  sold.  To  this  she  an- 
swered in  the  affirmative;  upon  which  Peter  reprehended 
her  in  words  to  this  effect :  "  How  durst  you  both  com- 
"  bine  to  provoke  God,  to  try  whether  he  will  punish  this 
u  your  impious  fraud,  or  uot?  That  you  may  see  haw 
"  highly  God  resents  your  sacrilegious  intentions,  behold 
(i  the  men  are  coming  in,  who  have  buried  your  dead 
u  husband,  and  now  they  shall  do  as  much  for  you."  No 
sooner  had  he  spoken  these  words  than  Sapphira  fell 
dead  at  his  feet,  and  the  same  persons  that  had  buried 
Ananias,  carried  her  out  from  the  assembly,  and  laid  her 
by  him.  These  remarkable  instances  of  the  Divine  wrath 
filled  all  the  converts  with  fear  and  trembling,  and  pre- 
vented, in  a  great  measure,  that  hypocrisy  and  dissimula- 
tion by  which  others  might  have  nattered  themselves  with 
deceiving  the  church. 

Miracles  of  severity  were  not,  however,  much  practised 
by  the  apostles.  Acts  of  mercy  were  their  proper  pro- 
vince, and  healing  the  diseased  and  freeing  the  possessed) 
a  great  part  of  their  employment.  In  the  execution  of 
this  business  the  Divine  power  so  far  attended  them,  that 
even  the  shadow  of  Peter  passing  by  cured  the  si 
who,  in  the  open  streets,  were  laid  on  beds  and  con 


110  FROM   THE   ASCEXSION   OF   CHRIST, 

on  purpose  to  receive  the  benefit  of  his  salutary  influence." 
Nor  were  these  marvellous  cures  confined  to  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Jerusalem  only,  but  the  people  of  several  neighbor- 
ing; towns  and  villages  brought  thither  their  sick,  their 
lame,  and  possessed,  all  of  whom  were,  by  the  apostles, 
relieved  from  their  respective  infirmities. 

The  fame  of  these  cures,  and  the  great  success  which 
Christianity  gained  by  the  miracles  and  preaching  of  the 
apostles,  reaching  the  ears  of  the  high  priest,  and  some 
others  of  the  Sanhedrim  (who  were  of  the  sect  of  the  Sad- 
ducees)  they  were  highly  incensed  against  the  apostles, 
and  therefore  caused  them  to  be  apprehended,  aud  thrown 
into  the  common  prison.  But  that  very  night  they  were 
released  from  their  confinement.  The  prison- doors, 
though  fastened  with  the  utmost  caution,  opened  of  them- 
selves at  the  approach  of  a  messenger  from  the  courts  of 
heaven,  who  commanded  the  apostles  to  leave  the  dungeon, 
repair  to  the  temple,  and  preach  the  glad  tidings  of  the 
Gospel  to  the  people. 

Early  the  next  morning  the  council  again  assembled, 
and,  thinking  the  apostles  were  in  safe  custody,  dis- 
patched their  officers  to  the  prison,  with  orders  to  bring 
them  immediately  before  them.  The  officers  accordingly 
went  to  obey  their  orders,  but,  behold,  when  they  came  to 
the  prison,  they  could  not  find  the  apostles.  In  conse- 
quence of  this  they  returned  to  the  council,  telling  them, 
that  the  doors  of  the  prison  were  shut,  indeed,  and  the 
keepers  all  upon  their  guard,  but  as  for  the  persons  whom 
they  were  sent  for,  there  was  not  one  of  them  to  be  found. 
This  intelligence  greatly  surprized  the  council,  who 
wondered  how  it  could  be,  that,  the  prison  being  shut, 
and  the  guard  at  the  doors,  the  prisoners  should  escape. 
But  while  they  were  in  this  state  of  perplexity  a  messenger 
arrived  with  news,  that  the  men,  whom  they  had  the  night 
before  committed  to  prison,  were  then  in  the  temple, 
preaching  and  instructing  the  people.  In  consequence  of 
this,  the  captain  of  the  guard,  with  some  other  officers,  im- 
mediately went  to  the  temple,  and  entreated  the  apostles 
to  go  before  the  council,  not  daring  to  offer  any  violence 
to  them,  for  fear  of  being  stoned  by  the  people. 


TO  THE  FLU.  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     J  1  i 

As  soon  as  the  apostles  appeared  before  their  judges, 
ihe  high-priest  demanded  how  they  durst  presume  to 
preach  a  doctrine,  which  so  lately  had  been  interdicted 
them?  To  which  Peter,  in  the  name  of  the  rest,  returned 
them  an  answer  to  this  effect:  ••  We  certainly  ought  to 
(t  obey  God  rather  than  man.  And  though  you  have  so 
u  barbarously  and  contumcliously  treated  the  Blessed 
a  Jesus,  yet  God  hath  raised  him  up  to  be  a  prince  and 
"  Saviour,  to  give  both  repentance  and  remission  of  sins. 
"  And  of  these  things  both  we,  and  the  miraculous  power 
"  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  conferred  on  all  Christians, 
"  arc  witnesses." 

This  answer  greatly  exasperated  the  council,  and  they 
began  to  consult  among  themselves  in  what  manner  they 
should  punish  them.  Their  first  resolution  was,  to  put 
them  to  death,  but  this  was  over-ruled  by  the  wise  advice 
of  a  certain  Pharisee,  named  Gamaliel,  a  man  of  the  most 
distinguished  reputation,  and  universally  respected.  After 
ordering  the  apostles  to  withdraw,  he  advised  the  council 
to  proceed  in  the  affair  with  great  caution,  lest  bad  con- 
sequences might  attend  their  resolutions.  He  told  them 
that  several  persons  had  formerly  raised  parties,  aud 
drawn  great  numbers  of  people  after  them ;  but  that  all 
their  schemes  had  miscarried,  and  their  designs  rendered 
abortive,  without  the  interposition  of  that  court.  That 
they  would,  therefore,  do  well  to  let  the  apostles  alone ; 
for  if  their  doctrines  and  designs  were  of  human  inven- 
tion, they  would  come  to  nothing;  but  if  they  were  of 
God,  all  their  powers  and  policies  would  be  of  none 
effect,  aud  sad  experience  would  too  soon  convince  them, 
that  they  had  themselves  opposed  the  counsels  of  the 
Most  High. 

This  speech  so  far  diverted  the  indignation  of  the 
council,  that  they  changed  the  sentence  (at  first  designed 
against  the  apostles'  lives)  into  a  corporal  punishment. 
They  therefore,  after  remandiug  them  into  court,  ordered 
them  to  be  immediately  scourged,  which  being  done,  they 
strictly  charged  them  not  to  preach  any  more  in  the  name 
of  Jesus,  and,  with  this  charge,  gave  them  their  liberty. 

But  this  punishment  and  injunction  had  little  effect  on 
the  disciples  of  the  Blessed  Jesus.    They  returned  home 


iiZ  FROM    THE   ASCENSION   OF   CHRIST, 

in  triumph,  rejoicing  that  they  were  thought  worthy  to 
suffer  in  so  righteous  a  cause,  and  to  undergo  shame  and 
reproach  for  so  kind  and  powerful  a  Master.  Nor  could 
all  the  opposition  of  man,  blended  with  the  malice  of  the 
power  of  darkness,  discourage  them  from  performing  their 
duty  to  God,  or  lessen  their  zeal  for  preaching,  both  in 
public  and  private,  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel. 

The  great  iucrease  of  believers,  and  the  ready  access  to 
the  common  fund  for  the  relief  of  the  poor,  made  the  in- 
stitution of  another  order  of  men  in  the  Christian  church 
highly  necessary.  Among  the  great  number  of  converts 
were  some  Jews,  who,  by  having  been  long  in  foreign 
countries,  had  disused  the  Hebrew,  and  spoke  only  the 
Grecian  tongue,  so  that  they  were  considered  by  the  com- 
mon Jews  as  if  they  had  been  foreigners.  These  people 
complained  to  the  apostles,  that,  in  the  distribution  of  the 
charity-money,  an  undue  preference  was  given  to  the 
Hebrew  widows,  whilst  theirs  were  too  frequently  neg- 
lected. In  consequence  of  this  complaint  the  apostles  as- 
sembled together  the  whole  multitude  of  their  disciples, 
when  Peter,  in  the  name  of  the  rest,  addressed  them  in 
words  to  this  etfect:  il  It  is  not  reasonable  that  we  should 
"  neglect  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  by  undertaking  the 
ii  care  of  looking  after  the  poor.  Therefore,  brethren,  do 
(e  you  nominate  to  us  seven  men,  who  have  shewn  them- 
"  selves  to  be  faithful,  trusty  persons,  eminent  among  you 
"  for  wisdom,  and  other  good  gifts,  that  we  may  appoint 
"  (that  is,  consecrate  or  ordain)  to  the  office  of  Deacons  in 
{i  the  church,  and  entrust  them  with  the  care  of  distribu- 
(i  ting  to  those  who  want  out  of  the  public  stock.  In  the 
"  choice  of  these,  let  it  be  observed,  that  they  be  persons 
"  well  versed  in  the  knowledge  of  Divine  matters,  that 
"  they  may  give  assistance  to  us  occasionally  in  preach - 
u  ing  the  word,  and  receiving  proselytes  to  the  faith  by 
"  Baptism.  And  by  these  means  we  shall  be  less  inter- 
"  rupted  in  our  daily  employment  of  praying,  and  preach- 
"  ing  the  Gospel." 

This  proposal  was  highly  satisfactory  to  the  whole 
assembly,  who  immediately  nominated  seven  persons, 
namely,  Stephen,  Philip,  Prochorus,  Nicanor,  Timon, 
Pharmenas,  and  Nicolas.   These  seven  they  presented 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.      113 

to  the  twelve  apostles,  who,  by  prayer,  and  laying  their 
hands  on  them,  ordained  them  to  the  olfice  of  deacons.* 

Of  these  seven,  the  most  eminent  for  the  gifts  and  graces 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  was  Stephen.  He  preached  the  Gos- 
pel with  a  noble  courage  and  resolution,  and  confirmed  it 
With  many  public  and  unquestionable  miracles  among  the 
people,  insomuch,  that  by  his  means  the  Christian  re- 
ligion gained  ground  abundantly.  Converts  came  in 
apace ;  aud  great  numbers  of  the  priests  themselves  laid 
aside  their  prejudices  and  embraced  the  Gospel. 

The  great  zeal  of  Stephen  for  propagating  the  Gospel, 
and  the  success  that  attended  his  endeavors,  soon  awaken- 
ed the  malice  of  his  adversaries,  who  procured  some 
membersf  of  the  most  learned  synagogues,  then  iu  Jeru- 

*  The  names  of  these  seven  deacons  are  all  of  Greek  extract, 
from  whence  we  may  inter,  that,  very  probably,  they  were  all  na- 
tives of  Greece,  and  that,  consequently,  by  their  designation,  the 
church  was  desirous  to  give  full  satisfaction  to  the  complaint  of 
those,  whose  widows  had  been  before  neglected.  Of  the  two  first  of 
these,  viz.  Stephen  and  Philip,  the  sacred  history  has  given  us  a 
sufficient  account,  but  of  the  rest  we  have  nothing  certain,  except 
we  will  admit  of  what  the  Latins  tell  us  of  Prochorus,  viz.  that  on 
the  9th  of  August  he  suffered  martyrdom  at  Antioch,  after  having 
made  himself  famous  for  his  miracles:  of  Nicanor,  that  on  the  10th 
of  January  he  suffered  in  the  Isle  of  Cyprus,  after  having  given 
great  demonstrations  of  his  faith  and  virtue:  of  Timon,  that  on  the 
19th  of  April,  he  was  first  thrown  iuto  the  fire,  and,  when  he  had 
miraculously  escaped  from  thence,  he  was  fixed  upon  a  cross  at  Co- 
rinth: of  Parmenas,  that  on  the  23d  of  January  he  suffered  at  Phi- 
lippi,  in  Macedonia:  and  of  Nicolas,  that,  either  by  design  or  indis- 
cretion, he  gave  rise  to  the  infamous  sect  of  Nicolaitans,  aud  there- 
fore no  Christian  church  has  ever  yet  paid  any  honor  to  his  memory. 

t  As  there  were  people  of  all  nations,  proselytes  to  the  Jewish  re- 
ligion, dwelling  at  Jerusalem,  it  is  reasonable  to  imagine,  that  they 
had  synagogues,  or  places  appointed  for  prayer,  for  hearing  the  law, 
and  pious  exhortations  in  their  own  languages.  The  Jews  tell  us, 
that  there  were  no  less  than  four  hundred  and  eighty  of  these  in  Je- 
rusalem, which  were  so  many  inferior  churches,  and  subordinate  to 
the  temple,  as  their  cathedral.  These  synagogues  very  probably 
were  built,  and  maintained  by  the  several  nations,  or  degrees  of 
people  that  resorted  to  them,  and  from  these  they  had  their  names, 
as  the  Synagogue  of  Libertines,  i.  e.  of  such  as  were  Denizens 
of  Rome,  of  the  Cyrenians,  the  Alexandrians,  &c.  But  it  is  to  be  ob- 
served of  these  synagogues,  that  they  were  not  only  places  of  re- 
ligious worship,  but  a  sort  of  colleges,  or  schools  likewise,  where 
VOL,  iv.         P 


114  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

salcm,  to  dispute  with  him.  But,  when  they  found  their 
disputants  baffled,  and  unable  to  withstand  the  force  of 
those  arguments  with  whieh  the  Divine  wisdom  had  in- 
spired Stephen,  they  betook  themselves  to  vile  practices. 
Having  procured  some  profligate  men  to  accuse  him  of 
blasphemy,  they  caused  him  to  be  apprehended,  and,  in 
a  tumultuous  manner,  took  him  before  the  Sanhedrim,  in 
order  to  obtain  a  formal  sentence  against  him. 

While  Stephen  stood  before  the  council,  the  judges, 
and  all  the  people  then  present,  beheld  a  lustre  and 
radiancy  in  his  countenance,  not  unlike  the  appearance 
of  an  angel.  This,  however,  did  not  so  far  intimidate  the 
Sanhedrim  as  to  prevent  them  from  listening  to  the  ac- 
cusation of  the  false-witnesses,  who  charged  him  with 
blasphemy,  in  foretelling  the  destruction  of  the  temple, 
and  the  change  of  the  Mosaic  rites  and  ceremonies.  This 
?nan  (said  they)  ceaseth  not  to  speak  blasphemous  words 
against  this  holy  -place  and  the  laic.  For  we  have  heard 
him  say,  Jesus  of  JWixareili  shall  destroy  this  place,  and 
shall  change  the  customs  which  Moses  delivered  us. 

The  high-priest,  having  heard  the  accusation  against 
Stephen,  asked  him,  whether  or  not  he  was  guilty  of  thus 
prophesying  the  destruction  of  the  temple,  and  change  of 
the  Jewish  religion?  In  answer  to  this  question,  Stephen 
made  a  very  grave  and  severe  oration,  the  substance  of 
whieh  was  to  the  following  effect: 

"  Hearken  unto  me,  ye  descendants  of  Jacob ;  the  Al- 
mighty, whose  glory  is  from  everlasting,  appeared  to  our 
father  Abraham,  before  he  sojourned  in  Charran,  even 
while  he  dwelt  iu  Mesopotamia,  commanding  him  to 
leave  his  country  and  relations,  and  retire  into  a  land 
which  he  would  shew  him. 

persons  were  instructed  in  the  law  and  traditions  of  the  Jews.  The 
Jews  at  this  time  were  dispersed  in  several  foreign  parts,  and  from 
these  they  sent  their  youth  to  Jerusalem  to  be  educated  in  the  syna- 
gogue, or  college,  peculiar  to  their  respective  countries.  St.  Paul 
was  of  the  province  of  Cilicia,  and,  as  it  is  reasonable  to  think  that 
he  studied  in  a  college,  either  belonging  to  the  country  where  he  was 
born,  or  proper  to  his  quality,  as  a  freeman  of  Rome;  there  seems  to 
be  no  incongruity  in  supposing,  that  he  might  possibly  be  que,  either 
of  those  Libertine,  or  Oiiieian  disputants,  who  entered  the  lists  with 
St.  Stephen. 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OV  CHRISTIANITY.     11$ 

••  Abraham  obeyed  the  Divine  mandate;  he  left  the 
land  of  the  Chaldeans  and  pitehed  his  tent  in  Chun  an; 
from  whence,  after  his  father  was  dead,  lie  removed  into 
Canaan,  even  the  land  you  now  inhabit;  hut  he  gave  him 
no  inheritance  in  this  country,  not  even  so  much  as  to  set 
his  foot  upon.  He  promised,  indeed,  he  would  give  it 
him  for  a  possession,  which  should  descend  to  his  pos- 
terity, though  at  tills  time  he  had  no  child. 

u  God  also  indicated  to  him  that  his  seed  should  so- 
journ in  a  strange  land ;  the  people  of  which  should  make 
them  bondmen,  and  treat  them  cruelly  four  hundred 
years.  After  which,  he  would  judge  that  nation,  bring 
out  his  people  who  should  serve  him  in  this  place,  as  an 
earnest  of  which,  he  gave  him  the  covenant  of  circum- 
cision; and  afterwards  a  son  whom  Abraham  circumcised 
the  eighth  day,  calling  his  name  Isaac,  who  begat  Jacob? 
and  Jacob  begat  the  twelve  patriarchs. 

"  But  these,  moved  with  envy,  sold  their  brother  Jo- 
seph into  Egypt,  where  the  Almighty  protected  him,  de- 
livered him  from  all  his  afflictions,  indued  hint  with  wis- 
dom, and  gave  him  favor  in  the  sight  of  Pharaoh,  the 
monarch  of  Egypt,  who  made  him  governor  both  of  his 
house  and  kingdom. 

u  Soon  after  this  exaltation  of  Joseph,  the  countries  of 
Egypt  and  Canaan  were  afflicted  with  a  terrible  famine, 
and  our  fathers  found  no  sustenance  either  for  themselves 
or  flocks.  But  as  soon  as  Jacob  heard  the  welcome 
tidings,  that  there  was  corn  in  Egypt,  he  sent  our  fathers 
thither  to  purchase  bread  for  the  people  of  his  household. 
And  in  their  second  journey  thither,  Joseph  made  him- 
self known  to  his  brethren,  and  also  iuformed  Pharaoh 
of  his  country  and  relations.  After  which  Joseph's  father, 
with  his  whole  house,  consisting  of  three-score  and  fif- 
teen souls,  weut  down  into  Egypt,  where  both  Jacob  and 
our  fathers  died,  and  were  carried  to  Sychem,  and  de- 
posited in  the  sepulchre  purchased  of  the  sons  of  Emmor, 
the  father  of  Sychem. 

"  But  as  the  time  for  fulfilling  the  promise  made  to 
Abraham  approached,  the  people  multiplied  in  Egypt, 
till  another  king  arose,  who  was  not  acquainted  with  the 
merits  of  Joseph,  and  the  great  thiugs  he  had  done  for 


11(5  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

that  country.  This  prince  used  our  fathers  with  cruelly, 
and  artfully  attempted  to  destroy  all  the  male  children. 
At  this  time  Moses  was  born,  and  being  exceeding  fair, 
was  nourished  three  months  in  his  father's  house ;  but  as 
it  was  dangerous  to  conceal  him  there  any  longer,  he  was 
hid  among  the  flags  on  the  bank  of  the  river;  when  the 
daughter  of  Pharaoh  found  him,  and  educated  him  as  her 
own  son. 

"  Tims  Moses  became  acquainted  with  all  the  learn- 
ing of  Egypt,  and  was  mighty  both  in  word  and  deed ; 
but  when  he  was  forty  years  old  he  thought  proper  to 
visit  his  brethren,  the  children  of  Israel ;  and  seeing  an 
Egyptian  smite  an  Hebrew,  he  assisted  the  suffering  per- 
son, and  slew  the  Egyptian ;  supposing  that  his  brethren 
would  have  been  persuaded  that  from  his  hand,  with  the 
assistance  of  the  Almighty,  they  might  expect  deliver- 
ance; but  they  conceived  no  hopes  of  this  kind. 

(i  The  next  day  he  again  visited  them,  and  seeing  two 
of  them  striving  together,  he  endeavored  to  make  them 
friends :  Ye  are  brethren,  said  he  to  them,  why  do  ye 
injure  one  another?  But  he  who  did  his  neighbor  wrong, 
instead  of  listening  to  his  advice,  thrust  him  away,  say- 
ing, By  what  authority  art  thou  a  judge  of  our  actions? 
wilt  thou  kill  me  as  thou  didst  the  Egyptian  yesterday? 

"  Moses,  at  this  answer,  fled  from  Egypt,  and  so- 
journed in  the  land  of  Media,  where  he  begat  two  sons. 
And  at  the  end  of  forty  years,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  ap- 
peared unto  him  in  the  wilderness  of  Mount  Sinai,  out 
of  the  middle  of  a  bush  burning  with  fire :  this  was  a 
sight  which  surprized  Moses;  and  as  he  drew  near  to 
view  more  attentively  so  uncommon  a  thing,  God  called 
unto  him,  saying,  I  am  the  God  of  thy  fathers,  the  God  of 
Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob.  At 
which  Moses  trembled,  and  turned  aside  his  face.  But 
ihe  Lord  said  to  him,  Put  off  thy  shoes  from  thy  feet,  for 
the  place  where  thou  standest  is  holy  ground.  I  have  long 
seen  the  afflictions  of  my  people,  which  are  in  Egypt;  I 
have  heard  their  cries,  and  am  now  descended  from 
heaven  to  deliver  them.  Come  therefore,  I  tcill  send  thee 
into  Egypt. 


TO  THE  FITLL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     117 

"  Thus  was  that  Moses  whom  they  refused,  sent  by 
fi od  to  he  ruler  and  deliverer  by  the  hand  of  the  angel 
who  appeared  to  him  in  the  bush.  Accordingly  he 
brought  them  out  after  he  had  shewed  signs  and  wonders 
in  the  land  of  Egypt,  in  the  Red  sea,  and  in  the  wilder- 
ness, forty  years.  It  is  this  Moses  that  told  our  fathers, 
A  prophet  shall  the  Lord  your  God  raise  up  unto  you, 
and  your  brethren,  like  unto  me.    Him  shall  ye  hear. 

"  And  this  prophet  is  the  same  who  was  in  the  church 
in  the  wilderness,  with  the  angel  which  spake  unto 
Moses  in  Mount  Sinai,  and  with  our  fathers :  the.  same 
who  received  the  lively  oracles  to  give  unto  us :  he  whom 
our  fathers  would  not  obey,  but  thrust  him  from  them, 
and  were  desirous  of  returning  to  their  state  of  bondage ; 
commanding  Aaron  to  make  them  gods  to  go  before  them ; 
and  pretending  that  they  knew  not  what  was  become  of 
Moses,  who  delivered  them  from  the  slavery  of  Egypt. 
They  now  made  a  calf,  offered  sacrifices  to  it,  and  re- 
joiced in  the  work  of  their  own  hands.  From  these  idola- 
trous proceedings  they  lost  that  divine  protection  which 
had  hitherto  attended  them  as  the  prophets  have  recorded. 
0  ye  houses  of  Israel/  have  you  offered  unto  me  slain 
leasts  and  sacrifices,  by  the  space  of  forty  years  in  the 
wilderness?  Yea,  ye  took  up  the  tabernacle  of  Moloch, 
and  the  star  of  your  god  Ilemphan:  figures  which  ye 
made  to  worship  them:  I  will  carry  you  away  beyond 
Babylon. 

"  Our  fathers  were  possessed  of  the  tabernacle  of  wit- 
ness in  the  wilderness;  being  made  according  to  the 
pattern  Moses  had  seen  in  the  mount.  This  tabernacle 
our  fathers  brought  in  with  Jesus  into  the  possession  of 
the  Gentiles,  who  were  driven  out  by  the  Almighty,  till 
the  days  of  David,  a  favorite  of  the  Most  High,  and  who 
was  desirous  of  finding  a  tabernacle  for  the  God  of 
Jacob ;  but  Solomon  built  him  an  house. 

"  We  must  not,  however,  think,  that  the  Almighty 
will  reside  in  temples  made  with  hands,  as  the  prophet 
beautifully  observed,  Heaven  is  my  throne  and  earth  is 
my  footstool :  ichat  house  will  ye  build  me,  saith  the  Lord, 
or  where  is  the  place  of  my  rest?  Hath  not  mine  hand 
made  all  these  things? 


US  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

i(  Ye  stiff-necked,  ye  uncircumcised  in  heart  and  cars, 
will  ye  for  ever  resist  the  Holy  Ghost?  Ye  tread  in  the 
paths  of  your  fathers ;  as  they  did,  so  do  you  still  con- 
tinue to  do.  Did  not  your  fathers  persecute  every  one  of 
the  prophets?  did  not  they  slay  them  who  shewed  the 
coming  of  the  Holy  One,  whom  ye  yourselves  have  be- 
trayed and  murdered?  Ye  have  received  the  law  by  the 
disposition  of  angels,  but  never  kept  it." 

This  speech,  but  particularly  the  conclusive  part  of  it, 
incensed  the  council  to  such  a  degree  against  Stephen, 
that  they  made  use  of  the  most  bitter  invectives,  and  re- 
solved to  chastise  him  by  no  less  a  punishment  than 
death.  But  Stephen  was  totally  regardless  of  what  they 
said  or  did,  having  his  mind  employed  in  the  delightful 
prospect  of  heaven,  and  the  appearance  of  the  Blessed 
Jesus  standing  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  The  visionary 
prospect  of  this  heavenly  scene  so  enraptured  his  soul, 
that  he  could  not  help  communicating  it  to  the  council. 
Behold,  (said  he)  I  see  the  heavens  opened,  and  the  £°>on 
of  Man  standing  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  On  saying 
these  words,  the  resentment  of  the  council  against  him 
was  so  ungovernably  increased,  that  raising  a  loud 
clamor,  and  stopping  their  ears  against  all  cries  for  mercy, 
they  immediately  dragged  him  away  without  the  city, 
and  stoned  him  to  death.  Whilst  Stephen  was  undergo- 
ing this  punishment,  he  first  devoutly  recommended  his 
soul  to  God,  and  then  earnestly  prayed  for  his  murderers, 
that  the  sin  they  were  committing  might  not  be  laid  to 
their  charge;  having  done  which  he  quietly  resigned  his 
soul  into  the  hands  of  Him  who  gave  it.  His  remains 
were  decently  interred  by  devout  men  (proselytes  to  the 
Christian  faith)  who  made  great  lamentation  over  him. 

Among  the  many  that  were  enraged  against  Stephen, 
one  particular  person,  who  had  but  too  great  an  hand  in 
his  death,  was  a  young  man  of  Cilicia,  named  Saul. 
This  person,  out  of  his  great  officiousness  to  have  Stephen 
executed,  undertook  to  look  to  the  clothes  of  the  wit- 
nesses, who  usually  stripped  themselves  to  throw  the 
first  stones  (as  the  law  directed)  at  the  person  who  was 
to  suffer  by  their  evidence.  Not  satisfied  with  this,  Saul, 
out  of  his  passionate  concern  for  the  traditions  of  the 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     119 

ancients,  and  his  natural  inveteracy  on  that  account, 
against  the  advocates  of  the  Gospel,  resolved  to  persecute 
all  he  could  who  professed  the  new  religion.  He  accord- 
ingly applied  to  the  Sanhedrim  for  a  commission  for  this 
purpose,  which  was  no  sooner  granted,  than  he  imme- 
diately proceeded  to  carry  it  into  execution.  Having 
proper  assistance,  he  broke  open  houses,  seized  upon  all 
who  looked  like  the  disciples  of  Jesus,  and  unmercifully 
dragged  them  to  prison,  where  he  caused  them  to  be 
scourged,  and  otherwise  ignomiuiously  punished.  These 
acts  of  cruelty  he  exercised  wherever  he  went;  so  that 
most  of  the  believers,  except  the  apostles,  were  forced  to 
leave  Jerusalem,  and  disperse  themselves  in  the  regions 
of  Judea  and  Samaria,  Syria  and  Phoenicia,  Cyprus  and 
Antioch,  &c. 

In  consequeuce  of  this,  the  glad  tidings  of  the  Gospel, 
(which  had,  till  now,  been  coniined  to  Judea,  and  many 
professors  of  it  obliged  to  hide  themselves  in  secret 
places)  was  preached  to  the  Gentile  world,  and  an 
ancient  prophecy  was  fulfilled,  which  says.  Out  of  Sion 
shall  go  forth  the  law,  and  the  word  of  the  Lord  from 
Jerusalem.  Thus  did  the  Almighty  bring  good  out  of 
evil,  and  cause  the  malicious  intentions  of  the  wicked  to 
redound  to  his  honor  and  praise. 


120  FROM    THE    ASCENSION   OF   CHRIST, 


CHAP.  II. 

Philip,  the  deacon,  preaches  the  Gospel  in  Samaria  with  great 
success.  One  Simon,  a  magician,  pretending  to  become  a 
convert,  is  baptized  by  Philip.  The  apostles,  hearing  of 
Philip's  success  in  Samaria,  send  Peter  and  John  thither  to 
confirm  his  doctrine.  Simon  the  magician  offers  the  apostles 
money  to  invest  him  with  the  power  of  working  miracles;  but 
Peter,  knowing  the  iniquity  of  his  heart,  instead  of  comply- 
ing with  his  request,  severely  rebukes  him.  Peter  and  John 
return  to  Jerusalem.  Philip  converts  an  eunuch  belonging  to 
the  queen  of  Ethiopia.  The  miraculous  conversion  of  Saul, 
the  great  persecutor  of  the  proselytes  in  Judea.  He  preaches 
the  Gospel  at  Damascus,  for  which  the  inhabitants  seek  his 
life,  but  he  happily  makes  liis  escape.  He  goes  to  Jerusalem 
and  is  kindly  received  by  the  apostles.  Proceeds  from  thence 
to  Tarsus,  and  preaches  the  Gospel  in  Cilicia  and  Syria. 
Peter  visits  various  parts  of  Judea,  Galilee  and  Samaria. 
Cures  one  JEneas  of  a  paralytic  disorder,  and  raises  a  dead 
woman  to  life  at  Joppa.  Is  sent  for  by  Cornelius,  a  Roman 
officer,  whom  he  converts,  with  several  other  Gentiles.  He 
returns  to  Jerusalem,  and  is  censured  by  the  Jeivish  converts 
there,  for  his  familiarity  with  the  Gentiles.  He  justifies  his 
conduct  on  this  head,  and  acquits  himself  with  satisfaction 
to  his  hearers. 

AMONG  those  who  fled  from  Jerusalem  in  conse- 
quence of  the  violent  persecution  by  Saul,  was  Philip 
the  deacon,  the  next  in  order  after  Stephen.  He  directed 
his  course  towards  Samaria,  preaching  the  Gospel  at 
various  places  in  his  way,  and  at  length  took  up  his  resi- 
dence in  that  city.  His  labors  here  were  crowned  with 
success;  he  confirmed  the  doctrine  he  preached  by  the 
performance  of  many  distinguished  miracles,  and  in  a 
short  time,  was  attended  by  a  prodigious  number  of  con- 
verts. In  the  city  lived  a  person  named  Simon,  who,  by 
his  sorcery  and  magical  arts,  had  so  strangely  gained  the 
veneration  of  the  people,  that  they  considered  iiis  diaboli- 
cal illusions  as  real  operations  of  the  power  of  God. 
Simon,  seeing  great  numbers  of  his  admirers  fall  off 
from  him,  and  embrace  the  doctrine  preached  by  Philip, 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     121 

pretended  to  be  a  convert  likewise,  and  (in  hopes  of  ob- 
taining some  share  of  the  miraculous  gifts,  which  he 
could  not  but  admire  in  Philip)  was  baptized  by  him 
with  some  others  who  had  embraced  the  doctrine  of 
Christ. 

The  great  success  which  attended  Philip  at  Samaria 
being  made  known  to  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem,  they 
sent  Peter  and  John  to  confer  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
on  the  new  converts.  Simou,  the  magician,  perceiving 
that  a  power  of  working  miracles  was  consequent  to  all 
those  on  whom  the  apostles  laid  their  hands,  offered  to 
give  them  money  if  they  would  invest  him  with  a  like 
power.  But  Peter,  knowing  the  insincerity  of  his  heart, 
rejected  his  offer  with  scorn  and  detestation ;  and  severe- 
ly rebuked  him  in  words  to  this  effect:  "  Thy  money 
"  (said  the  great  apostle)  perish  with  thee.  As  thy  heart 
'•'  is  full  of  hypocrisy  and  deceit,  thou  shalt  never  be  in- 
"  vested  with  any  part  of  this  Divine  privilege,  for  thy 
••'  design  in  desiring  these  gifts  is,  to  advance  thy  own 
"  credit  and  esteem  among  men,  and  not  to  enlarge  the 
"  kingdom  of  Christ.  Repent,  therefore,  and  humble 
"  thyself  before  God  for  this  wicked  and  impious  pro- 
"  prosal,  that  the»thdughts  of  thy  heart  may  be  forgiven 
"  thee ;  for  I  perceive  that  thy  temper  and  disposition  of 
"  mind  is  still  vicious  and  corrupt;  that  thou  art  yet 
u  bound  by  the  chains  of  iniquity,  and  in  a  state  dis- 
"  pleasing  to  God,  and  dangerous  to  thyself." 

This  severe  rebuke  from  Peter  greatly  affected  the 
mind  of  Simon :  his  conscience  flew  in  his  face,  and  he 
earnestly  entreated  the  apostles  to  make  intercession  for 
hini  to  the  throne  of  grace,  that  the  Almighty  might 
pardon  his  sins,  and  not  inflict  on  him  those  heavy  judg- 
ments which  Peter  had  intimated  were  likely  to  fall  on 
him  for  his  enormous  transgressions. 

The  two  apostles,  having  confirmed  the  doctrine 
preached  by  Philip  in  Samaria,  left  that  city  and  return- 
ed to  Jerusalem,  in  their  way  to  which  they  expounded 
the  doctrine  of  Christ  in  several  considerable  villages, 
and  were  so  successful,  as  to  bring  over  a  prodigious 
number  of  sincere  proselytes. 

vol.  iv.        Q 


1&&  FROM   THE   ASCENSION   OF   CHRIST, 

Soon  after  Peter  and  John  left  Samaria,  Philip  re- 
ceived orders  from  an  heavenly  messenger  to  quit  that 
city,  and  go  Southward  into  the  road  which  led  from 
Jerusalem  to  Gaza.  Philip  immediately  obeyed  the 
Divine  mandate ;  but  he  had  not  travelled  far  before  he 
espied  a  chariot  with  a  splendid  retinue,  which,  on  en- 
quiry, he  found  belonged  10  an  eunuch,  the  treasurer  of 
Candace,  queen  of  Ethiopia,  who  being  a  proselyte  to  the 
Jewish  religion,  had  been  to  pay  his  devotions  at  Jerusa- 
lem, and  was  then  upon  his  journey  home.  When  Philip 
approached  the  chariot  he  was  directed  by  the  Spirit  of 
God  to  stop  and  speak  to  the  person  within  it.  This  he 
accordingly  did,  and  found  the  treasurer  commendably 
employed  in  reading  a  passage  of  the  prophet  Isaiah. 
Philip,  after  apologizing  for  interrupting  him,  asked  if 
he  clearly  understood  what  he  was  reading;  upon  which 
the  treasurer  candidly  acknowledged  he  did  not,  and 
besought  him  to  get  into  the  chariot  and  instruct  him. 
Philip  readily  obeyed,  and  when  he  came  to  examine  the 
passage  which  had  so  much  perplexed,  and  engaged  the 
attention  of  the  treasurer,  he  found  it  to  be  the  following : 
He  was  led  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  like  a  sheep 
dumb  before  the  shearer  he  opened  riot  his  mouth  ;  in  his 
humiliation  his  judgment  was  taken  away,  and  who  shall 
declare  his  generation?  For  his  life  ivas  taken  from  the 
earth.  This  text  the  treasurer  desired  Philip  to  explain, 
asking  him,  whether  the  prophet  spoke  this  of  himself, 
or  of  some  other  person?  Philip  took  this  opportunity  of 
preaching  to  him  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  clearly 
pointed  out  to  him  that  not  only  the  sense  of  the  passage 
in  question,  but  likewise  several  others  in  the  ancient 
prophets,  was  fully  accomplished  in  his  person,  and  the 
transactions  that  had  taken  place  during  his  stay  ou 
earth. 

While  Philip  was  expounding  the  doctrine  of  Christ 
to  the  Ethiopian,  they  happened  to  come  to  a  piece  of 
water  by  the  road  side ;  upon  which  the  eunuch  said, 
See  here  is  water ;  what  doth  hinder  me  to  be  baptized? 
Philip  said.  If  thou  believest  with  all  thine  heart,  thou 
maijest.  And  he  answered  and  said,  I  believe  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  Son  of  God.   On  this  the  eunuch  ordered 


TO  THE  PULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.    1&8 

the  chariot  to  stop,  and  both  eettitig  out  and  entering  the 
water,  Philip  performed  on  him  the  ceremony  of  baptism. 
And  when  they  were  come  up  out  of  the  water,  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  caught  away  Philip,  thai  the  eunuch  taw  him  no 
wore  ;  and  he  went  on  his  way  rejoicing.  But  Philip  wis 
found  at  .Izotus :  and  passing  through  he  preached  in  all 
the  cities,  till  he  came  to  Cesarea.    Acts  viii.  39,  40. 

In  the  mean  time  Haul  was  very  active  in  persecuting 
the  believers  of  Christ  in  Jerusalem  and  its  neighborhood  ; 
but  such  was  his  fiery  zeal  against  the  faithful,  that  he 
resolved  to  carry  Ins  cruelty  and  resentment  still  farther. 
lie  therefore  applied  to  the  Sanhedrim,  and  obtained 
a  commission  from  that  court  to  extend  his  persecution  to 
Damascus,  and  to  bring  such  believers  as  he  might  find 
iu  that  city  bound  to  Jerusalem. 

Saul,  pleased  with  the  horrid  power  with  which  he 
was  invested  by  the  Sanhedrim,  left  Jerusalem,  and 
prosecuted  his  journey  towards  Damascus,  being  fully 
resolved  to  execute  his  commission  with  the  strictest 
severity.  But  it  was  the  Divine  will,  in  mercy  to  him  as 
well  as  those  he  went  to  persecute,  to  frustrate  his  inten- 
tions. When  he  came  near  Damascus,  a  refulgent  light, 
far  exceeding  the  brightness  of  the  sun,  darted  upon  him, 
at  which  he  was  greatly  amazed  and  confounded,  falling, 
together  with  his  horse,  prostrate  on  the  ground.  This 
light  was  accompanied  with  a  voice,  in  the  Hebrew  lan- 
guage, saying,  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  ? 
To  which  Saul  replied,  Who  art  thou,  Lord?  He  was 
immediately  answered,  /  am  Jesus  whom  thou  per- 
secutest. It  is  hard  for  thee  to  kick  against  the  pricks. 
As  if  he  had  said,  "  All  thy  attempts  to  extirpate  the 
faith  in  me  will  prove  abortive,  and,  like  kicking  against 
the  spikes,  wound  and  torment  thyself." 

Saul  was  now  sufficiently  convinced  of  his  folly  in 
acting  against  Jesus,  whom  he  was  now  assured  to  be  the 
true  Messiah.  He  therefore,  trembling  with  fear,  said, 
Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do?  On  which  a  voice  re- 
plied, Arise,  and  go  into  the  city,  and  it  shall  be  told  thee 
what  thou  must  do.  Those  who  accompanied  Saul  were 
struck  with  fear  and  amazement,  wondering  that  they 
should  hear  a  voice,  and  yet  see  no  man  speak,  whilst 


12k  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

Saul  himself  was  so  dazzled  and  overpowered  by  the 
light)  that  he  quite  lost  his  eye- sight.  His  companions, 
therefore,  led  him  by  the  hand  into  the  city  of  Damascus, 
where  he  continued  three  days  totally  blind,  nor  did  he, 
in  the  whole  time,  take  the  least  refreshment. 

At  this  time  there  dwelt  in  the  city  a  certain  disciple, 
named  Ananias,  whom  the  Lord,  in  a  vision,  commanded 
to  go  and  find  out  one  Saul  of  Tarsus  (then  lodging  at 
the  house  of  one  Judas,  a  Jew)  and,  by  laying  his 
hands  on  him,  to  remove  his  blindness.  Ananias  was 
startled  at  the  name  of  the  man,  and,  to  excuse  himself, 
alledged  his  violent  persecutions  of  the  church,  and  with 
what  a  wicked  intent  he  was  then  come  to  Damascus. 
But  to  this  the  vision  told  him,  that  he  was  appointed,  by 
the  Divine  Being,  to  be  a  powerful  instrument  in  the 
propagation  of  the  Gospel,  both  among  the  Jews  and 
Gentiles,  and  that,  how  much  soever  he  had  persecuted 
Christianity  heretofore,  he  was  now  to  become  a  zealous 
defender  of  it,  and  even  to  die  in  testimony  of  its  truth. 

Encouraged  with  this  assurance,  Ananias  repaired  to 
the  house  where  Saul  was,  anxj,  laying  his  hands  on  him, 
delivered  a  message  to  this  effect :  "  That  the  Lord  Jesus, 
"  who  had  appeared  to  him  in  his  journey,  had  sent  him 
"  not  only  to  restore  his  eye-sight,  but  likewise  to  bestow 
"  upon  him  the  gifts  and  graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  such  as 
"  might  qualify  him  for  the  ministry  to  w  inch  he  was  then 
"  appointed.7'  No  sooner  had  Ananias  finished  his 
speech,  than  thick  films,  like  scales,  fell  from  Saul's  eyes, 
and  he  received  his  sight:  immediately  after  which  he 
was  baptized,  and  continued  some  days  with  the  disciples 
at  Damascus,  preaching  in  the  synagogues,  and  proving 
that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah. 

After  staying  some  time  at  Damascus,  Saul  retired  into 
the  neighboring  parts  of  Arabia  Petrea,  where  he  first 
planted  the  Gospel ;  and,  in  the  beginning  of  the  next 
year,  returned  to  Damascus.  Here  he  applied,  with  the 
utmost  assiduity,  to  the  great  work  of  the  ministry, 
preaching  Christ  daily  in  the  synagogues,  and  confuting 
all  those  who  argued  against  his  doctrine.  He  wras,  in- 
deed, remarkably  zealous  in  his  preaching,  and  blessed 
with  a  very  extraordinary  method  of  reasoning,  whereby 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.       425 

he  undeniably  proved  the  fundamental  points  of  Chris- 
tianity. This  irritated  the  Jews  to  the  highest  degree  :  and 
at  length,  after  about  three  years  continuance  in  the  city, 
they  found  means  to  prevail  on  the  governor  of  Damascus 
to  have  him  apprehended,  and  confined.  Hut  they  knew 
it  would  he  difficult  to  take  him,  as  lie  had  so  many 
friends  in  the  city:  they  therefore  kept  themselves  in  con- 
tinual watch,  searching  all  the  houses  where  they  thought 
he  might  conceal  himself,  and  likewise  obtained  a  guard 
from  the  governor,  to  attend  the  different  gates  of  the  city, 
in  order  to  prevent  his  escape.  In  this  distress  his 
Christian  friends  were  far  from  deserting  him;  they  tried 
every  method  that  offered  to  procure  his  escape;  but  find- 
ing it  impossible  for  him  to  pass  through  either  of  the. 
gates  of  the  city,  .they  let  him  down  from  one  of  their 
houses  in  a  basket  over  the  wail,  by  which  means  the 
cruel  designs  of  his  enemies  were  rendered  abortive. 

Saul,  having  thus  escaped  from  his  malicious  persecu- 
tors in  Damascus,  repaired  to  Jerusalem,  where,  at  first, 
lie  was  but  coolly  received  among  many  of  the  disciples. 
They  were  not  insensible  of  his  former  conduct,  and  were 
therefore  doubtful  of  the  sincerity  of  his  heart,  till  at 
length  Barnabas,  who  was  privy  to  the  circumstauces  that 
had  attended  him  both  before  and  after  his  conversion, 
introduced  him  to  the  apostles,  and,  having  clearly  related 
to  them  every  particular  that  had  passed,  they  admitted 
him  into  their  communion.  He  continued  some  time  at 
Jerusalem,  during  which  he  preached  with  great  boldness 
to  the  people ;  and  his  sermons  were  so  powerful,  and  dis- 
putations with  his  opponents  so  unanswerable,  that  they, 
like  the  Jews  at  Damascus,  formed  designs  against  his 
life.  But  as  soon  as  this  was  known  to  the  brethren,  Lhej 
conducted  him  to  Cesarea,  from  whence  he  set  sail  to  his 
own  city  Tarsus,  and  continued,  for  some  years,  preach- 
ing the  Gospel  with  great  success  in  various  parts  of 
Cilicia  and  Syria. 

The  church,  at  this  time,  was  free  from  persecution. 
and  flourished  exceedingly:  upon  which  Peter  took  the 
opportunity  of  making  a  geucral  visitation  to  all  the  re- 
formed places  in  Judea,  Galilee  and  Samaria.  In  his 
progress  he  arrived  at  a  town  called  Lydda,  where  he 


126  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

cured  one  iEneas  of  a  paralytic  disorder,  which  had  con- 
fined him  to  his  hed  for  eight  years;  and  from  this  miracle 
all  the  inhabitants  of  Lydda  (as  well  as  a  neighboring 
town  called  Saron)  were  prevailed  on  to  embrace  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ.    From  Lydda  he  was  entreated  by  two 
messengers  to  go  over  to  Joppa,  a  noted  port  about  six 
miles  distant,  on  account  of  one  Tabitha,  a  Christian 
woman,  venerable  for  her  piety  and  diffusive  charity,  who 
was  lately  dead.    Peter  complied  with  the  request  of  the 
messengers,  and  immediately  accompanied  them  to  Joppa. 
On  his  arrival  at  the  house  he  found  the  body  in  au  upper 
chamber  ready  prepared  for  interment,  and  surrounded 
by  a  number  of  mournful  widows,  who  shewed  him  the 
coats  and  garments  wherewith  she  had  clothed  them,  the 
monuments  of  her  liberality.    They  durst  not,  however, 
request  him  to  raise  her  from  the  dead,  but  by  their  tears, 
and  great  commendations  of  her  charity,  sufficiently  testi- 
fied their  wishes  that  he  would  do  it.  Peter  was  not  in- 
senihle  of  their  meaniug,  and  was  willing  to  grant  what  he 
knew   would   give  them   general   satisfaction.    Having, 
therefore,  ordered  them  to  withdraw,  he  first  knelt  down, 
and   prayed   for  some  time,  with  great  fervency;  after 
which,  turning  himself  to  the  body,  he  said,  Tabitha, 
arise.    Upon  this,  the  good  woman  instantly  opened  her 
eyes,  and  Peter,  taking  her  by  the  hand,  raised  her  up, 
and  presented  her  alive  to  her  friends  and  relations.  This 
miracle  gained  Peter  a  prodigious  number  of  converts, 
and  encouraged  him,  for  a  considerable  time,  to  continue 
his  abode  at  Joppa,  during  which  he  resided  in  the  house 
of  one  Simon  a  Tanner. 

During  his  stay  at  Joppa,  he  one  day  retired  to  the  top 
of  the  house,  about  noon,  to  pray.  After  he  had  finished 
his  devotions  he  found  himself  hungry,  and  called  for 
meat;  but,  while  the  people  were  preparing  his  dinner,  he 
fell  asleep,  and  beheld,  in  a  vision,  a  large  sheet,  or  table- 
cloth, let  down,  as  it  were,  by  the  four  corners  from 
heaven,  wherein]  were  creatures  of  all  kinds,  clean  and 
unclean ;  and,  at  the  same  time  a  voice  said  to  him,  Arise, 
Peter,  kill  and  eat.  But  the  apostle,  being  tenacious  of 
the  rites  and  institutions  of  the  Mosaic  law,  declared  his 
aversion  to  such  a  proceeding;  upon  which  the  voice  re- 


TO  THi:  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.      127 

joined,  that  >vhat  God  had  pronounced  clean,  he  ous;ht  by 
no  means  to  account  common  or  unclean.  This  represen- 
tation was  made  to  him  three  several  times,  after  which 
the  sheet  was  taken  up,  and  the  vision  disappeared. 

When  Peter  awoke  he  could  not  help  seriously  reflect- 
ing on  the  vision  he  had  beheld;  and  while  he  was 
wondering  within  himself  what  might  be  the  event,  he 
was  interrupted  by  three  messengers,  who,  knocking  at 
the  gate,  desired  to  speak  with  him.  They  were  accord- 
ingly admitted,  and  as  soon  as  they  saw  Peter  they  ac- 
quainted him  with  their  business,  which  was  to  the  follow- 
ing purport:  "  That  Cornelius,  a  Roman,  captain  of  a 
"  company  in  the  Italian  Legion,*  then  at  Cesarea,  a 
"  person  of  eminent  virtue,  piety  and  charity,  had,  by  an 
il  immediate  command  from  God,  sent  to  him,  begging 
u  that  he  would  return  with  them  to  give  him  some  in- 
"  structions  on  so  important  and  singular  an  occasion. ,? 
Peter  detained  the  messengers  that  night;  but  the  next 
day  he  set  out  with  them,  accompanied  by  some  of  his 
brethren,  and  the  day  following  arrived  at  Cesarea. 

Cornelius,  being  in  expectation  of  his  coming,  had  in- 
vited his  friends  and  relations  to  his  house,  and  as  soon 
as  Peter  entered,  he  fell  down  at  his  feet  to  worship  him; 
but  the  apostle,  rejecting  that  honor  as  being  due  to  God 
alone,  raised  him  up,  and  then  told  the  company,  et  That 
"  though  they  must  know  it  was  not  lawful  for  a  Jew  to 
"  converse  (more  especially  on  the  duties  of  religion)  with 

*  The  Cohort  of  (he  Romans,  which  we  call  hand,  was  a  body  or 
infantry,  consisting  of  five  hundred  men,  ten  of  which  bands  made  a 
legion;  and  the  manner  in  which  the  Romans  distinguished  and  de- 
nominated their  bands  and  legions  was  very  various.  Sometimes  it 
was  from  the  order  of  places,  and  so  they  were  called  the  first  or 
second  band,  according  to  their  rank  and  precedency;  Sometimes 
from  the  commanders  thc\  were  under,  as  the  Augustan  and  Claudi- 
an  band,  &e.  because  persons  of  that  name  did  lead  them  ;  Sometimes 
from  their  own  behavior,  as  the  Victrix,  the  Ferrea,  the  conquering, 
the  iron  band,  &c.  by  reason  of  the  great  valor,  which,  in  some  sharp 
engagements,  these  had  shewn  ;  Sometimes  from  the  countries  they 
were  chiefly  quartered  in,  as  the  German  and  Pannonian  band,  &c. 
and  sometimes  from  the  parts  from  whence  they  were  gathered,  as 
this  of  Cornelius,  is  called  the  Italian  band,  because  it  was  raised  out 
of  that  country,  and  was  a  body  of  forces  well  known  for  llieii  gallan- 
try and  great  exploits,  among  the  writers  of  the  Roman  history. 


128  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

<(  those  of  another  nation;  yet,  since  God  had  taught  him 
'.'  to  make  no  distinction,  he  very  readily  attended  their 
"  pleasure,  and  desired  to  know  the  occasion  of  their  send- 
"  ing  for  him." 

The  reply  Cornelius  made  in  answer  to  this  was  to  the 
following  effect:  "Four  days  ago,  being  fervently  em- 
"  ployed  in  the  duties  of  fasting  and  prayer,  an  angel 
£i  from  the  courts  of  heaven  appeared  to  me,  declaring  that 
"  my  prayers  and  alms  were  come  up  as  a  memorial  before 
"  the  throne  of  the  Most  High ;  and  at  the  same  time  or- 
*•  dered  me  to  send  to  Joppa  for  one  Simon  Peter,  who 
u  lodged  in  the  house  of  a  Tanner  near  the  sea  side,  and 
"  would  give  me  farther  information  in  the  mysteries  of 
"  salvation.  Accordingly  I  made  no  hesitation  to  obey 
<(  the  heavenly  messenger;  I  sent  immediately  for  thee, 
"  and  now  thou  art  come,  and  we  are  met  together,  I 
"  desire  to  hear  what  instructions  thou  hast  to  communi- 
"  cate." 

From  this  relation  of  the  Roman  officer  Peter  delivered 
a  discourse  to  the  assembly,  which  he  began  by  declaring, 
"  that  he  perceived  plainly  God  had  made  no  distinction 
u  of  persons  and  people,  but  that  the  pious  and  godly  of 
"  all  nations,  were  to  meet  with  acceptance.  He  told  them, 
"  that  peace  and  reconciliation  between  God  and  man  was 
u  a  doctrine  published  by  the  prophets  of  old,  and,  of 
6i  late,  since  the  time  of  John  the  Baptist,  preached 
({ through  Galilee  and  Judea ;  that  of  this  peace  Jesus  of 
"  Nazareth  was  the  only  Mediator  between  God  and 
a  Man,  as  appeared  by  the  Divine  powers  and  graces 
((  wherewith  he  was  invested,  and  which  he  constantly 
"  exercised  in  doing  good  to  mankind ;  that  of  his  life  and 
(i  actions,  more  especially  of  his  Crucifixion  by  the  Jews, 
"  and  resurrection  from  the  dead,  of  his  appearing  to  his 
"  disciples,  and  even  eating  and  drinking  with  them  after 
"  his  resurrection,  he  and  the  rest  of  the  apostles  were 
"  chosen  witnesses;  that  from  him  they  had  received,  be- 
"  fore  his  ascension,  a  command  and  commission  to  pub- 
"  lish  to  all  nations,  that  he  was  the  person,  whom  God 
"  had  ordained  to  be  the  Great  Judge  of  the  world ;  that 
"  all  the  prophets,  with  one  consent,  bore  witness  of  him; 


TO  THE  W'i    ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     1^9 

•■  ami  that  whoever  believed  in  his  name  would  certainly 
*•  receive  the  remission  of  sins." 

"While  Peter  was  thus  speaking,  the  Holy  Ghost  came 
down  upon  the  whole  audience,  and  inspired  them  with 
gifts  and  graces,  fitting  them  for  several  conditions  in  the 
church.  The  Jews  who  accompanied  Peter,  were  great- 
ly astonished  to  see  that  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost  tvere 
poured  upon  the  Gentiles;  which  being  observed  by 
Peter,  he  told  them  he  knew  no  reason  why  those  persons 
should  not  be  baptized  (having  received  the  Holy  Ghost) 
as  well  as  they.  He  accordingly  gave  orders  that  they 
should  be  baptized,  which  being  done,  he  staid  with  them 
several  days,  in  order  to  confirm  them  in  the  Holy  Faith 
they  had  so  happily  and  earnestly  embraced. 

The  conduct  of  Peter  on  this  occasion  was  considered 
in  various  lights  by  the  brethren  at  Jerusalem,  who  be- 
ing but  lately  converted  to  the  Christian  Faith,  were 
zealously  attached  to  the  religious  ceremonies  of  the  Mo- 
saic institution,  and  therefore  most  of  them  severely 
charged  Peter,  on  his  return  to  Jerusalem,  as  being  too 
familiar  with  the  Gentiles.  How  powerful  is  the  preju- 
dice of  education!  The  Jews  had,  for  many  ages,  con- 
ceived an  inveterate  hatred  to  the  Gentiles,  considering 
them  as  persons  not  approved  of  by  the  Almighty,  who 
had  chosen  the  Jews  for  his  peculiar  people.  The  law  of 
Moses,  indeed,  enjoined  them  to  be  kind  to  their  own  na- 
tion, in  preference  to  all  others;  and  the  rites  and  institu- 
tions of  their  religion,  and  the  peculiar  form  of  their  com- 
monwealth, rendered  them  very  different  from  the  inhabit- 
ants of  other  countries;  a  separation  which  in  after  ages 
they  contracted  into  a  much  narrower  compass.  They 
were  also  tenaciously  proud  of  their  external  privileges  in 
being  the  descendants  of  Abraham ;  and  therefore  looked 
upon  the  rest  of  the  world  as  reprobates,  refusing  to  hold 
any  conversation  with  them,  or  even  to  treat  them  with 
common  civility. 

It  is  therefore  no  wonder  that  they  were  highly  dis- 
pleased with  Peter;  nor  would  he,  in  all  probability, 
have  been  able  to  have  defended  his  conduct  in  a  satis- 
factory manner,  had  he  not  been  charged  with  a  peculiar 
commission  from  God  for  extending  the  privileges  of  the 

vol.  iv.         11 


130  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

Gospel  to  the  Gentile  world.  To  satisfy  them,  however, 
of  the  propriety  of  his  conduct,  he  first  gave  them  a  plain 
and  minute  narrative  of  the  whole  affair,  together  with 
the  occasion  of  it;  and  then  took  occasion  from  the  whole, 
to  draw  this  inference:  "  That,  since  God  had  been 
"  pleased  to  bestow  on  these  Gentiles  the  same  privi- 
(i  leges,  and  marks  of  conversion,  that  he  had  done  on 
H  his  select  disciples,  it  would  have  been  direct  dis- 
"  obedience  in  him  to  the  Divine  will,  had  he  denied. 
••  them  admission  into  the  church,  or  refused  them  his 
"  instructions  and  conversation." 

From  this  representation  the  whole  audience  were  per- 
fectly satisfied ;  and  their  displeasure  against  Peter  was 
turned  into  praise  and  thanksgiving  to  God,  for  having 
communicated  the  same  mercy  to  the  Gentiles  as  he  had 
doue  to  the  Jews;  namely,  repentance  unto  life  eternal. 


CHAP.  HI. 

Barnabas  ami  Saul  preach  with  great  success  at  Jlntioch. 
Herod  Jlgrippa,  grandson  of  Herod  the  Great,  persecutes 
the  Christians,  and  orders  James  (the  brother  of  JohnJ  to 
be  put  to  death.  He  casts  Peter  into  prison,  from  whence  he 
is  miraculously  released  by  an  angel.  The  miserable  death  of 
Jlgrippa.  Saul  and  Barnabas  preach  the  Gospel  in  Cyprus, 
where  they  convert  the  governor;  and  Saul  changes  his 
name  to  that  of  Paul.  They  go  from  Cymnis  to  Perga,  Pi* 
sidia,  and  Lystra.  Jit  the  latter  place  Paul  cures  a  lame 
man, from  which  incident  he  and  Barnabas  are  reputed  as 
Gods.  Paul  is  stoned,  but  revives  aiid  returns  to  JLntioch. 
He  and  Barnabas  go  from  thence  to  Jerusalem,  in  order  to 
settle  a  matter  of  controvei'sy  relative  to  circumcision.  They 
return  to  JLntioch,  where  he  reproves  Peter  for  the  improprie- 
ty of  his  conduct.  Paul  and  Barnabas  disagree,  part,  and 
go  different  ways. 

AFTER  the  general  dispersion  which  took  place 
in  consequence  of  the  martyrdom  of  Stephen,  and  the 
persecutions  that  followed,  some  disciples,   who  were 


I  Q  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OV  CHRISTIANITY.      1   !  I 

born  in  Cyprus  and  Cyrene,*  having  travelled  through 
several  countries,  and  hitherto  preached  to  the  Jews 
only,  at  length  came  to  Antioeh.t  where  hearing  of 
the  conversion  of  Cornelius,  and  others,  they  applied 
themselves  to  the  Greeks,  who  lived  in  that  city,  and,  by 
the  blessing  of  God,  daily  made  great  numbers  of  con- 
verts. Intimation  of  this  being  given  to  the  apostles  at 
Jerusalem,  they  dispatched  one  Barnabas,  a  pious  man, 
and  endued  with  many  excellent  gifts,  to  assist  the  dis- 
ciples, and  confirm  the  believers  in  that  city. 

The  success  of  the  Gospel  in  so  large  a  place  as  Anli- 
och,  gave  great  satisfaction  to  ilarnabas,  who,  after  con- 
tinuing there  some,  time,  and  exhorting  the  people  to  hold 
fast  the  possession  of  that  faith  they  had  newly  embraced, 
departed  from  thence  to  Tarsus,  in  order  to  find  out  Saul, 
whom  he  considered,  from  the  fame  he  had  heard  of  him, 
as  a  necessary  person  to  assist  him  in  facilitating  the 
farther  promulgation  of  the  Gospel.  Having  found  out 
Saul,  he  returned  with  him,  in  a  short  time,  to  Antioch, 
where,  for  the  space  of  a  whole  year,  they  daily  resorted 
to  the  most  public  place*,  preaching  and  expounding  the 
doctrine  of  their  Great  Master;  by  means  of  which  they 
soon  gained  over  such  a  prodigious  number  of  converts, 

*  This  was  a  city  of  great  note,  and  once  of  such  power,  as  to 
contend  with  Carthage  for  some  pre-eminences.  It  stood  on  the 
western  parts  of  Lybia,  (properly  so  called)  and,  as  it  was  the  prin- 
cipal city,  it  sometimes  gave  the  name  of  Cyrcnaica  to  the  whole 
country,  which  by  the  sacred  writer  is  paraphrastically  called 
Lybia  about  Cyrcne,  Acts  ii.  10.  The  city  itself  is  famous  in  Holy 
Writ  for  being  the  birth-place  of  that  Simon,  whom  the  Jews  com- 
pelled to  bear  our  Saviour's  Cross. 

t  This  Antioch,  (to  distinguish  it  from  sixteen  other  cities,  which, 
in  Syria,  and  other  countries,  bore  that  name)  was  frequently  called 
Antiochia  Epidaphne,  from  its  neighborhood  to  Daphne,  a  village 
where  the  Temple  of  Daphne  stood.  It  was  built,  as  some  say,  by 
Antiochus  Epiphanes;  as  others,  by  Seleucus  Nicanor,  the  first  king 
of  Syria  after  Alexander  the  Great,  in  memory  of  his  father  Anti- 
ochus, and  was,  after  that,  the  royal  seat  of  the  kings  of  Syria.  In 
the  flourishing  times  of  the  Roman  empire  it  was  the  ordinary  resi- 
dence of  the  prefect,  or  governor  of  the  eastern  provinces,  and  was 
also  honored  with  the  residence  of  many  of  the  Roman  emperors,  es- 
pecially of  Verus  and  Valens,  who  spent  here  the  greatest  part  of 
their  time.  As  to  its  situation,  it  lay  on  both  sides  the  river  Orontes, 
about  twelve  miles  distant  from  the  Mediterranean  Sea;  was,  in 


132         ,         FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

that  in  this  city  the  disciples  of  Jesus  were  first  distin- 
guished by  the  honorable  name  of  Christians.* 

The  extensive  circulation  of  the  Gospel  at  Antioch 
opened  an  intercourse  between  the  Christians  of  that 
city  and  those  of  Jerusalem.  Many  people  resorted  from 
the  latter  place  to  the  former,  and  among  them  was  one 
person  named  Agabus,  who  foretold,  that  there  would 
shortly  be  a  great  famine  in  many  parts  of  the  Roman 
empire,  which  accordingly  happened  in  the  fourth  year 
of  tiie  reign  of  the  emperor  Claudius.  In  consequence  of 
this  prophecy,  the  Christians  of  Antioch  determined  to 
make  a  collection  for  their  brethren  in  Judca,  which,  on 
the  approach  of  the  dearth,  they  accordingly  did,  and 
sent  it  to  the  elders  at  Jerusalem  by  the  hands  of  Barna- 
bas and  Saul. 

About  this  time  Herod  Agrippa  (the  grandson  of 
Herod  the  Great)  in  order  to  ingratiate  himself  with  the 
heads  of  the  obstinate  Jews,  raised  a  most  violent  perse- 
cution against  the  Christians,  in  the  commencement  of 
which  he  ordered  James,  the  son  of  Zebedee  (and 
brother  of  John)  commonly  called  the  Great, -\  to  be  put 
to  death.  Finding  this  cruel  act  was.  acceptable  to  the 
chief  priests  and  rulers,  he  resolved  to  extend  his  cruelty 

former  times,  adorned  with  many  sumptuous  palaces  and  stately 
temples,  and  both. by  Nature  and  Art  fortified  even  to  admiration; 
but,  being  taken  by  the  Saracens,  and  afterwards  by  tiie  Turks,  it 
began  to  grow  into  decay,  and  has  ever  since  been  in  a  desolate  and 
ruinous  condition. 

*  Before  this  they  were  called  among  themselves  brethren,  saints, 
disciples,  believers,  and  those  that  called  on  the  name  of  Christ ;  and 
among  their  enemies,  Galileans,  Jtfizarenes,  and  men  of  the  sect:  but 
now  by  the  conversion  of  so  many  heathens,  both  in  Cesareaand  An- 
tioch, the  believing  Jews  and  Gentiles  being  all  made  one  church, 
this  new  name  was  given  them,  as  being  more  expressive  of  their 
common  relation  to  Christ,  their  great  Lord  and  Master. 

t  He  is  commonly  called  the  Great  to  distinguish  him  from  an- 
other of  the  same  name,  who  was  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  and  called 
the  Less.  He  had  his  first  instruction,  together  with  John,  from  the 
Baptist;  but  how  he  disposed  of  himself  after  our  Lord's  ascension 
does  not  appear.  That  he  was  very  zealous  and  industrious  in  pro- 
pagating the  Gospel,  appears  evident  from  Herod's  making  choice 
of  him  for  the  first  sacrifice  (after  the  death  of  Stephen)  to  the  fury 
'if  the  people. 


TO  THE  PULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHBJSTIAKITY.     138 

to  Peter.  He  accordingly  caused  him  to  lie  apprehended 
ami  put  into  prison,  designing,  immediately  after  the 
Feast  of  the  Passover,  to  bring  him  forth  to  the  Jews, 

and.  if  they  desired  it,  to  have  him  executed.  Hut  the. 
Christians  were  incessant  in  their  prayers  to  God  for  his 
safety:  nor  were  their  prayers  and  solicitations  in  vain. 
Herod  was  persuaded  in  his  own  mind,  that  he  should 
soon  accomplish  his  design,  and  sacrifice  Peter  to  the  in- 
satiable cruelty  of  the  .lews.  Hut  the  night  before  this 
intended  execution,  a  messenger  from  the  courts  of 
heaven  visited  the  gloomy  horrors  of  the  dungeon,  where 
lie  found  Peter  asleep  between  two  of  his  keepers.  The 
augel  raised  him  up,  and  taking  oil*  his  chains,  ordered 
him  to  gird  on  his  garments,  and  follow  him.  Peter 
obeyed,  and  having  passed  through  the  first  and  second 
watch,  they  came  to  the  iron  gate  leading  to  the  city, 
which  opened  to  them  of  its  own  accord.  The  angel  also 
accompanied  him  through  one  of  the  streets,  and  then 
departed.  On  this  Peter  (who  had  hitherto  been  con- 
fused, thinking  all  that  had  passed  was  no  more  than  a 
dream)  came  to  himself,  and  perceived  that  it  was  no 
vision,  but  that  his  great  and  beloved  Master  had  really 
sent  a  messenger  from  above,  and  released  him  from 
prison.  He  therefore  repaired  to  the  house  of  Mary,  the 
mother  of  John,  surnamed  Mark,  where  several  disciples 
were  met  together,  and  sending  up  their  prayers  to 
heaven  for  his  deliverance.  As  he  siood  knocking  with- 
out, a  maid-servant  of  the  house,  named  Rhoda,  knowing 
his  voice,  ran  in,  and  acquainted  the  company  that  Peter 
was  at  the  door.  At  first  they  would  not  pay  any  atten- 
tion to  what  she  said:  but  on  her  persisting  in  (he  truth 
of  what  she  asserted,  they  concluded  that  it  must  have 
been  his  angel.  Their  doubts,  however,  were  soon  re- 
moved by  the  cntraucc  of  Peter,  at  the  sight  of  whom 
they  were  all  greatly  astonished.  Peter,  beckoning  them 
to  hold  their  peace,  related  the  whole  particulars  of  his 
miraculous  escape  from  prison,  and,  after  ordering  them 
to  acquaint  James,  and  the  other  brethren,  with  this  good 
news,  withdrew  himself  to  a  place  of  more  retirement  and 
security. 


134  FROM   THE   ASCENSION   OF   CHRIST, 

Early  the  next  morning  the  officers  went  from  Herod 
to  the  prison,  with  orders  to  bring  Peter  out  to  the 
people,  who  were  gathered  together  to  behold  his  execu- 
tion. But  when  they  came  to  the  prison,  they  were  in- 
formed by  the  keepers  that  Peter  had  made  his  escape. 
The  officers  immediately  returned  with  this  intelligence 
to  Herod,  who  was  so  irritated  at  his  being  disappointed 
in  his  wicked  design,  that  he  commanded  the  keepers  to 
be  put  to  death,  as  supposing  them  accessary  to  his 
escape;  after  which  he  left  Jerusalem,  and  retired  to 
Cesarea. 

While  Herod  was  in  Cesarea  a  misunderstanding 
took  place  between  him  and  the  inhabitants  of  Tyre  and 
Sidon,  against  whom  lie  was  about  to  declare  war. 
But  they,  dreading  his  power,  (and  knowing  that  in  this 
time  of  scarcity  their  country  was  in  a  great  measure  de- 
pendent on  Herod's  dominions  for  its  support)  sent  am- 
bassadors to  Blastus,  Herod's  chamberlain,  requesting 
liim  to  intercede  in  their  behalf,  and,  if  possible,  to  bring 
about  an  accommodation.  Though  Herod  was  highly 
displeased  with  them,  yet  he  so  far  listened  to  his  cham- 
berlain as  to  appoint  a  day  for  holding  a  public  con- 
ference with  the  ambassadors;  at  which  time,  being 
dressed  in  his  royal  robes,  and  seated  on  a  throne, 
he  made  a  long  harangue  on  the  occasion.  The  fawning 
multitude,  thinking  to  ingratiate  themselves  in  his  favor, 
and  please  the  tyrant's  pride  with  flattering  applause, 
shouted  out,  It  is  the  voice  of  a  god,  and  not  of  a  man. 
This  gratified  the  pride  of  Herod,  who,  assuming  to 
himself  that  praise  which  belonged  only  to  God,  was  in- 
stantly struck  by  an  angel  with  a  mortification  in  his 
bowels,  which,  in  a  short  time,  put  a  period  to  his 
existence. 

The  tyrant  Herod  being  thus  removed,  the  Gospel 
greatly  flourished  and  increased,  new  converts  daily 
thronging  to  be  admitted  to  the  faith. 

About  this  time  Barnabas  and  Saul,  having  discharged 
their  trust  in  disposing  of  the  contributions  raised  in  An- 
tioch  for  the  benefit  of  the  Christians  in  Jerusalem  and 
Judea,  returned  to  that  city,  taking  with  them  John,  sur- 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     13 J 

named  Mark,*  a  person  well  calculated  to  assist  them  in 
the  propagation  of  the  Gospel. 

Barnabas  and  Saul  had  not  been  long  returned  to  An- 
tioch, when  God,  by  some  particular  inspiration,  gave 
them  to  understand,  that  lie  had  appointed  them  to  carry 
his  word  into  other  places.  This  was  likewise  revealed 
to  the  members  of  the  church  then  at  Antioch,  who,  in 
consequence  thereof,  betook  themselves  to  fasting  and 
prayer:  and  Simeon,  Lucius,  and  Manaen,  (all  of  whom 
were  endued  with  the  spirit  of  prophecy)  having  laid 
their  hands  on  them,  sent  them  away,  to  preach  the  Gos- 
pel  wherever  they  might  be  directed  by  Divine  inspira- 
tion. 

On  their  departure  from  Antioch  they  went  first  to 
Seleucia,f  from  whence  they  took  shipping  for  Cyprus, 
and  began  their  ministerial  office  in  the  city  of  Salamis4 
where  they  preached  in  the  synagogues,  and  employed 
[Mark,  who  was  of  their  compauy,  in  several  offices  of  the 
church  which  they  could  not  conveniently  attend  them- 
selves. 

From  Salamis  they  proceeded  to  Paphos,§>  the  resi- 
dence of  Sergius  Paulus,  the  pro-consul,  or  governor  of 

*  This  person,  who  is  sometimes  called  John-Mark,  and  at  other 
times  simply  Mark,  or  John,  is  very  frequently  confounded  with  the 
Evangelist  St.  Mark.  He  was  a  cousin  and  disciple  of  Barnabas, 
and  the  son  of  a  Christian  woman  called  Mary,  at  whose  house  in 
Jerusalem  the  apostles  and  disciples  often  assembled. 

t  This  city  lay  on  the  west,  or  rather  a  little  north-west  of  the 
city  of  Antioch,  upon  the  Mediterranean  sea,  and  was  so  called  from 
Seleucus  its  founder. 

1  This  was  once  a  famous  city  in  the  isle  of  Cyprus,  opposite  to 
Seleucia,  on  the  Syrian  coast;  and,  as  it  was  the  first  place  in  these 
parts  where  the  Gospel  was  preached,  it  was,  in  the  primitive  times, 
made  t  lie  See  of  the  Primate,  or  Metropolitan  of  the  whole  island. 
In  the  reign  of  the  emperor  Trajan,  it  was  destroyed  by  the  Jews, 
and  re-built,  but,  after  that,  being  in  the  time  of  Herodius,  sacked, 
and  razed  to  the  ground  by  the  Saracens,  it  never  recovered  its 
former  splendor,  though  out  of  its  ruins  is  said  to  have  arisen  Fama- 
gusta,  which  was  the  chief  place  of  the  isle,  when  the  Turks  took 
it  from  the  Venetians,  in  the  year  1570. 

§  Paphos  was  another  city  of  Cyprus,  lying  on  the  western  (as 
Salamis  did  on  the  eastern)  track  of  the  island.  It  was  once  famous 
for  having  in  it  a  celebrated  temple  dedicated  to  Venus,  who,  from 
thence,  is  called,  by  antient  writers,  the  Paphian  Queen. 


136  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

the  island,  a  man  of  great  wisdom  and  prudence,  but  un- 
happily seduced  by  the  wicked  artifices  of  Bar-jesus,  an 
impostor,  who  stiled  himself  Elymas,  or  the  magician. 
The  governor  being  informed  of  the  doctrine  preached  by 
Saul  and  Barnabas  was  desirous  of  hearing  it,  and  there- 
fore sent  to  them  for  that  purpose.  They  accordingly  at- 
tended, but  while  Saul  was  delivering  a  discourse  to  him 
and  the  company  present,  the  sorcerer  (who  stood  by  the 
pro-consul)  used  all  the  arguments  he  could  to  prevent 
his  being  converted  to  the  faith.  This  being  observed  by 
Saul,  he  turned  himself  to  the  sorcerer,  and  severely 
chastised  him  in  words  to  this  effect:  "  O  thou  vile 
"  sorcerer!  Like  the  devil,  by  whom  thou  workest,  thou 
u  art  an  enemy  to  all  goodness.  Wilt  thou  persist  in 
£i  sorcery,  in  defiance  of  the  faith  of  Christ,  which  comes 
"  armed  with  a  much  greater  power  of  miracles  than 
*'•  those  to  which  thou  falsely  pretendest?  Thou  shalt 
6i  soon  feel  the  vengeance  of  heaven ;  for  thou  that  per- 
u  versely  boldest  out  against  the  light  of  the  Gospel,  shalt 
"  lose  thy  sight,  which,  by  the  power  of  God,  shall,  for 
6i  a  time,  be  taken  from  thee."  No  sooner  had  Saul  ut- 
tered these  words  than  the  sorcerer  was  struck  blind,  and 
implored  some  of  the  company  to  conduct  him  to  his 
habitation.  This  miracle  convinced  the  pro-consul  of  the 
truth  of  the  doctrine  he  had  heard,  and  he  immediately 
became  a  convert  to  the  faith.  And  from  this  event  it  is 
supposed,  by  some,  that  Saul  changed  his  name  to  that 
of  Paul,*  which  he  ever  after  retained. 

*  It  is  very  observable,  that,  all  along,  before  this  circumstance 
of  the  Apostle's  life,  St.  Luke  calls  him  by  the  name  of  Saul,  but 
ever  after  by  that  of  Paul.  From  hence  some  imagine,  that  he  as- 
MJined  that  name  to  himself,  in  memory  of  his  converting  of  Sergius 
Paulas;  just  as  the  ancient  Roman  generals  were  accustomed  to 
adopt  the  names  of  the  provinces  which  they  conquered.  St.  Austin, 
more  than  once,  asserts,  that  he  took  it  from  a  principle  of  humility, 
by  a  small  variation  changing  his  former  name  (whereby  a  proud 
haughty  king  of  Israel  was  called)  into  that  of  Paulas,  which  sig- 
nifies little  ;  and  that,  in  conformity  to  this,  he  calls  himself  less  than 
the  least  of  the  Upostles.  But  the  most  rational  account  of  the  matter 
seems  to  be  (bat  of  Origen,  viz.  that  he,  being  of  Jewish  parentage, 
and  born  in  Tarsus,  a  Roman  city,  had,  at  his  circumcision,  two 
names  given  him.  Saul,  a  Jewish,  and  Paul,  a  Roman  name,  and 


TO  THE  ftJLL  ESTABLISHMENT  Of  CHRISTIANITY.      136 

After  staying  some  time  in  (lie  island  of  Cyprus,  Paul 
and  his  companions  weni  Co  Perga  in  Pamphylia,*"  where 
Mark  (not  chusing  any  longer  to  prosecute  so  wandering 
■  course  of  life)  took  his  leave,  and  returned  to  Jerusalem. 

Prom  Perga  they  went  to  Antioch  in  Pisidia.f  where, 
going  into  1  lie  synagogue  on  the  sabbath-day,  they  sat 
themselves  down  to  hear  the  performance  of  divine  wor- 
ship. After  the  lessons,  one  out  of  the  law,  and  the  other 
out  of  the  prophets  (it  being  the  custom  for  the  Jewish 
doctors  to  expound  some  part  of  the  scripture  for  the  in- 
struction of  the  people)  the  chief  persons  of  the  assembly 
sent  to  Paul  and  his  companions,  to  know  whether  either 
of  them  would  preach  a  sermon  of  exhortation  to  the 
audience.  This  was  an  offer  highly  satisfactory  to  Paul, 
who,  after  intimating  bis  acceptance  of  it,  arose,  and  de- 
livered a  discourse  to  the  people  in  words  to  this  effect: 

"  Hearken,  all  ye  descendants  of  Jacob,  and  ye  that 
fear  the  Almighty,  to  the  words  of  my  mouth.  The  God 
of  Israel  made  choice  of  our  fathers,  and  loved  them, 
when  they  had  no  city  of  their  own  to  dwell  in,  but  were 
strangers  and  slaves  in  Egypt,  bringing  them  from  thence 
With  a  mighty  hand,  and  a  stretched-out  arm;  fed  them 
in  the  wilderness  forty  years,  and  would  not  suffer  his 
anger  to  rise  against  them,  though  they  often  provoked 
him  in  the  desert.  On  their  arrival  in  the  land  he  prom- 
ised their  fathers,  lie  destroyed  the  nations  that  inhabited 
it,  and  placed  them  in  that  fruitful  country ;  dividing  it  to 
them  by  lot. 

"  When  they  were  settled  in  the  land,  he  gave  them 
judges  during  four  hundred  and  fifty  years,  till  Samuel 
the  prophet.  But  on  their  desiring  a  king,  he  placed 
over  them  Saul  the  son  of  Cis,  a  Benjamite,  who  reigned 
about  forty  years.  After  his  death  he  placed  David  on 
the  throne  of  Israel,  giving  him  this  testimony,  I  have 
found  David  the  Son  of  Jesse,  a  man  after  mine  own 

that  when  he  preached  to  the  Jews,  he  was  called  by  his  Jewish,  and 
when  to  the  Gentiles  (as  he  did  ehielly  after  this  time)  by  his  Ro- 
man name. 

*  Paraphilia  was  a  province  of  the  Lesser  Asia,  not  far  from 
Cyprus. 

t  This  lay  a  little  to  thr  north  of  Pamphylia. 

VOL.  iv.  S 


138  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

heart,  which  shall  fulfil  all  my  will.  And  according  to 
liis  promise  the  Almighty  hath  raised  up  to  tlie  sons  of 
David  a  Saviour  Jesus,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord;  the 
Baptism  of  repentance  having  been  preached  before  his 
coming  by  John.  And  as  his  fore-runner  executed  his 
office,  he  asked  his  followers,  ivhom  think  ye  that  I  am? 
You  must  not  mistake  me  for  the  Messiah;  he  will  soon 
follow  me ;  but  I  am  not  worthy  to  perform  the  meanest 
office  for  him. 

"  To  you,  therefore,  ye  descendants  of  Abraham,  and 
all  others  who  fear  the  Almighty,  is  this  word  of  salva- 
tion sent.  For  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  and  rulers 
of  Israel,  being  ignorant  of  him,  and  the  voices  of  the 
prophets,  though  read  every  sabbath  in  their  synagogues, 
fulfilled  their  predictions  by  condemning  the  immaculate 
son  of  the  Most  High.  They  found,  indeed,  no  fault  in 
him,  though  they  earnestly  desired  Pilate  that  he  might 
be  slain. 

"  When  every  tiling  that  had  been  written  by  the  pro- 
phets concerning  him  was  fulfilled,  they  took  him  from 
the  tree,  and  deposited  his  body  in  the  chambers  of  the 
grave.  But  death  had  no  power  to  detain  him :  his  Al- 
mighty Father  raised  him  from  the  habitations  of  the 
dead.  After  which,  he  was  seen  during  many  days  by 
his  disciples  who  attended  him  from  Galilee,  and  were 
the  witnesses  chosen  by  Omnipotence,  of  these  great  and 
miraculous  works.  And  we  now  declare  unto  you  glad 
tidings,  namely,  That  the  promise  made  by  the  Almighty 
to  our  forefathers,  he  hath  performed  to  us  their  children 
by  raising  Jesus  from  the  dead.  The  prophet  David  also 
said,  Thou  art  my  son,  this  day  have  1  begotten  thee.  He 
also  foretold,  that  he  should  return  from  the  chambers  of 
the  dust,  and  no  more  be  subject  to  corruption :  I  will 
give  you,  (said  he)  the  sure  mercies  of  David.  And  again, 
Thou  shalt  not  suffer  thine  holy  one  to  see  corruption. 
Now  this  prophecy  must  relate  to  the  Messiah,  for  David 
himself,  after  he  had  swayed  the  sceptre  of  Israel  a  cer- 
tain time,  died,  was  deposited  in  the  chambers  of  the 
grave,  and  his  flesh  saw  corruption ;  but  the  great  son  of 
David,  whom  the  Almighty  raised  from  the  dead,  never 
saw  corruption. 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     I3fl 

"  Be  it  therefore  known  unto  you,  men  and  brethren, 
that  through  this  Saviour  is  preached  unto  you  the  for- 
giveness of  sins.  It  is  by  his  merits  we  are  justified  from 
all  things,  which  was  impossible  by  the  law  of  Moses. 
Be  careful,  therefore,  lest  what  was  foretold  by  the  pro- 
phets come  upon  you,  Behold,  ye  despisers,  and  wonder 
and  perish;  for  I  work' a  work  in  your  Anna,  a  work 
which  you  shall  in  no  ivise  believe,  though  a  man  declare 
if  unto  you." 

This  discourse  was  so  well  received  by  great  numbers 
of  the  people,  that  when  they  got  out  of  the  synagogue, 
they  besought  Paul  that  he  would  deliver  it  again  on  the 
next  sabbath.  Paul  promised  to  comply  with  their  re- 
quest, which  lie  accordingly  did,  and  on  that  day  almost 
all  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  flocked  to  hear  him.  This 
irritated  such  of  the  Jews  as  were  strong  enemies  to  the 
Gospel :  nor  could  they  refrain  from  shewing  their  malice 
on  the  occasion.  They  several  times  not  only  interrupt- 
ed, but  peremptorily  contradicted  Paul  while  he  was 
preaching,  and  at  length  uttered  many  blasphemous  ex- 
pressions against  the  name  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  But 
their  opposition  could  not  daunt  the  apostles,  who  boldly 
answered  them  as  follows :  It  was  necessary  that  the 
word  of  God  should  first  have-  been  spoken  to  you;  hut 
seeing  ye  put  it  from  you,  and  judge  yourselves  unworthy 
of  everlasting  life,  lo,  we  turn  to  the  Gentiles.  For  so 
hath  the  Lord  commanded  us,  saying,  I  have  set  thee  to 
he  a  light  of  the  Gentiles,  that  thou  shouldst  be  for  salva- 
tion unto  the  ends  of  the  earth. 

When  the  Gentiles  heard  this,  they  were  greatly  re- 
joiced, and  glorified  the  name  of  God  for  his  beneficent 
inercy  revealed  in  the  Gospel;  and  all  who  had  any  care 
or  thought  of  the  life  to  come  immediately  embraced  the 
doctrine  of  Christ.  This  increased  the  malice  and  fury 
of  the  Jews,  who,  by  false  and  artful  insinuations,  pre- 
vailed on  some  of  the  more  bigotted  and  honorable  women 
to  bring  over  their  husbands  to  their  party :  the  conse- 
quence of  this  was,  that  Paul  and  Barnabas  were  driven 
out  of  the  city,  on  leaving  which  they  shook  the  dust  oil' 
their  feet,  in  testimony  of  the  sense  they  had  of  the  in- 
gratitude and  infidelity  of  their  oppressors. 


140  FROM   THE   ASCENSION   Or    CHRIST* 

From  Antioch  Paul  and  Barnabas  went  to  Iconium,* 
where  they  entered  into  the  synagogue  of  the  Jews,  and, 
according  to  their  usual  custom,  preached  to  the  people ; 
the  consequence  of  which  was,  that  many,  both  Jews  and 
Greeks,  became  proselytes  to  the  Christian  religion. 
From  this  success  the  two  apostles  continued  some  time 
at  Iconium,  during  which  the  number  of  converts  daily 
increased,  and  to  confirm  them  in  the  faith,  God  added 
his  testimony  to  their  preaching,  by  enabling  them  to  work 
miracles.  But  though  they  had  gained  a  considerable 
number  of  inhabitants  to  the  faith,  yet  there  were  many 
who  continued  in  their  infidelity :  the  whole  leaven  of 
Jewish  malice  began  again  to  shew  itself,  and  the  unbe- 
lieving Jews,  having  stirred  up  the  Gentiles  against  the 
apostles,  at  length  prevailed  on  the  multitude  to  stone 
them.  But  the  apostles,  having  timely  notice  of  their  de- 
sign, fled  from  the  city  to  Lystra  and  Derbe,  (two  other 
cities  in  the  province  of  Lycaonia)  where  they  preached 
the.  Gospel  to  the  inhabitants,  as  also  to  those  who  dwelt 
in  the  countries  adjoining. 

While  they  were  at  Lystra  a  happy  circumstance  oc- 
curred both  for  the  promulgation  of  the  Gospel,  and 
the  conversion  of  a  people  who  had  greatly  been  de- 
voted to  paganism.  As  Paul  was  one  day  preaching  to 
the  multitude,  he  saw  amongst  them  a  man  who  had  been 
lame  from  his  mothers  womb,  and  had  never  walked. 
From  the  earnest  attention  which  the  cripple  gave  to  the 

*  This  was  the  chief  city  of  Lycaonia,  a  small  province  of  Asia 
Minor,  lying  on  the  north-east  of  Pisidia,  and  hounded  on  the  south 
hy  Pamphylia  and  Cilicia.  It  is  said,  by  Strabo,  to  have  been  well 
built,  and  situated  in  the  richest  part  of  the  province.  This  is  con- 
firmed by  that  celebrated  modern  historian  and  geographer,  Mr 
Middleton,  who  says,  "Iconi urn  is  situated  in  the  ancient  Lycaonia, 
"  in  a  fertile  plain,  near  a  line  large  lake  of  fresh  water,  which  was 
"  anciently  called  Palus  Toogilis.  The  city  is  surrounded  by  strong 
"  walls,  adorned  with  towers,  and  the  whole  is  enclosed  by  a  broad 
"  and  deep  ditch.  The  Turks  only  inhabit  the  city.  The  Greeks, 
"  Armenians  and  Jews  dwell  in  the  suburbs,  which  are  exceeding 
u  spacious.  The  city  is  defended  by  a  small  castle,  and  in  it.  are 
"  several  mosques,  with  some  spacious  caravanseras  (or  places  of 
'  entertainment)  for  the  accommodation  of  such  caravans  and 
"  travellers  as  pass  through  the  town." 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     141 

discourse.  Paul  (who  had,  for  some  time,  taken  particular 
notice  of  him)  perceived  that  lie  had  faith,  and  therefore 
thought  proper  to  add  the  cure  of  his  body  to  that  of  his 
soul,  knowing  that  it  would  not  only  be  beneficial  to  him. 
but  would  likewise  confirm  the  faith  of  all  those  who 
should  believe  in  Ids  doctrine.  And  that  the  miracle 
might  be  wrought  in  the  most  conspicuous  manner,  Paul, 
in  the  midst  of  the  congregation,  said,  in  an  audible 
voice,  to  the  man,  Stand  upright  on  tbj  feci;  which 
Avoids  were  no  sooner  pronounced  than  lie  arose,  and 
leaped  and  walked. 

The  people  who  beheld  this  miracle  well  knew  that  it 
could  not  be  wrought  by  any  human  power;  but  having 
been  initiated  in  the  superstitious  customs  of  the  heathen-, 
they  cried  out,  The  gods  are  come  down  to  us  in  the  like- 
ness of  men.  Accordingly  they  called  Barnabas  Jupiter. 
on  account  of  his  venerable  gravity,  and  Paul  they 
named  Mercurius,  because  he  was  the  chief  speaker. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  fame  of  this  miracle  was 
spread  throughout  the  city,  in  consequence  of  which  al- 
most all  the  inhabitants  gathered  themselves  together, 
and,  preceded  by  the  priest  of  Jupiter,  and  oxen  dressed 
in  garlands,  went  to  the  house  where  the  apostles  resided, 
intending  to  offer  sacrifice  before  them.  But  as  soon  as 
Paul  and  Barnabas  understood  their  intentions,  they 
were  greatly  affected. at  their  superstitious  design;  and 
renting  their  clothes  to  express  their  grief  and  abhorrence, 
of  the  action,  ran  out  to  the  multitude,  whom  Paul  ad- 
dressed in  words  to  this  effect:  "  Ye  men  of  Lystra,  ye 
"  are  mistaken  in  the  object  of  your  worship;  for  though 
u  we  have  done  many  miracles  in  the  name,  and  by  the 
"  power  of  Christ,  yet  we  are  no  more  than  men,  and 
(i  subject  to  the  same  passions  with  yourselves,  and 
"  preach  unto  you  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation,  that  ye 
*6  may  forsake  the  vanities  of  this  world,  and  return  to  the. 
66  living  God,  who  created  the  heaven  and  the  earth,  the 
"  sea,  and  all  the  creatures  they  contain.  This  Omnipo- 
f  tent  Being  suffered  all  nations  formerly  to  walk  in  their 
*•'  own  ways,  though  lie  never  left  himself  without  witness, 
"  doing  the  greatest  good  to  the  children  of  men;  it  is  He 
*'<  that  sendeth  rain  from  heaven,  and  crowneth  the  year 


14*3  BROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST., 

u  with  fruitful  seasons,  filling  our  hearts  with  joy  and 
(s  gladness." 

This  argument  hail  the  desired  effect,  the  people, 
(though  with  some  difficulty)  being  persuaded  to  lay 
aside  their  idolatrous  intentions.  And  surely  no  argument 
could  be  more  properly  adapted  to  answer  the  wishes  of 
the  inspired  preacher.  Is  it  possible  that  any  human 
being  can  survey  the  several  parts  of  the  creation,  and 
not  discover,  in  every  place,  evident  traces  of  an  infinite 
wisdom,  power  and  goodness?  Who  can  survey  universal 
nature,  and  not  at  once  see  and  admire  its  great  Author, 
who  has  disposed  of  all  created  things  with  such  order 
and  regularity,  as  to  display,  in  the  clearest  manner,  his 
own  power  and  glory?  Behold  the  sun!  how  justly  is 
that  source  of  light  and  heat  placed  in  the  centre  of  the 
planetary  choir,  that  each  may  enjoy  its  destined  share 
of  its  prolific  beams ;  so  that  the  earth  is  not  burnt  by  a 
too  near  approach,  nor  chilled  by  the  northern  blasts 
from  too  great  a  recess,  but  impregnated  with  fruits  and 
flowers,  by  the  happy  influence  of  a  vital  heat,  and 
crowned  with  luxuriant  plenty  by  the  benign  influences 
of  the  season.  Who  can  contemplate  the  wonderful 
properties  of  the  air,  and  not  reflect  on  the  Divine  wisdom 
that  formed  it?  If  we  survey  the  earth,  we  there  discover 
the  footsteps  of  an  Almighty  Being,  who  hath  filled 
it  with  a  great  variety  of  admirable  and  useful  creatures, 
all  of  which  are  maintained  by  the  bounty  of  his  hand. 
It  is  he  that  clothes  the  grass  with  a  delightful  verdure, 
that  crowns  the  year  with  his  loving  kindness,  and 
causes  the  vallies  to  stand  thick  with  corn.  It  is  he  that 
maketh  the  grass  to  grow  upon  the  mountains,  and  herbs 
for  the  service  of  man.  He  adorns  the  lilies  of  the  field 
that  neither  toil  nor  spin,  with  a  glory  that  excels  the 
pomp  and  grandeur  of  Solomon's  court.  He  shut  up  the 
sea  with  doors*  and  said,  Hitherto  shalt  thou  come  and 
no  farther,  and  here  shall  thy  proud  waves  he  stayed.  It 
is  the  Almighty  Being  that  arrests  the  storm,  and  smooths 
the  tempestuous  billows  of  the  deep ;  that  delivereth  the 
mariner  from  all  his  troubles,  and  bringeth  his  ship  into 
the  desired  haven  of  safety.  How  reasonable,  therefore, 
is  it  that  we  should  worship  and  adore  this  Omnipotent, 


TO  THE  VUJUL  EST.V03LISUMLNT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     143 

this  kind  Creator,  and  not  transfer  the  honors  due  to  him 
alone  to  frail  mortals,  much  less  to  dumb  idols,  the  work 
ef  men's  hands ! 

After  Paul  had  performed  the  miracle  on  the  lame 
man,  he  and  Barnabas  continued  to  persevere  in  the  ex- 
ecution of  their  important  commission,  declaring,  where- 
ever  they  went,  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  to  all  who 
believed  in  the  doc  trine  of  Christ.  But  the  malice  of  their 
enemies  still  pursued  them:  some  inveterate  Jews,  who 
bad  come  from  Antioch  and  Iconium,  so  exasperated 
and  stirred  up  the  multitude  against  them,  that  they  took 
Paul,  whom,  just  before,  they  would  have  adored,  and 
stoned  him ;  after  which  they  dragged  him  out  of  the  city? 
supposing  him  to  be  dead.  But  when  the  disciples  went 
to  the  place  where  he  was  (probably  to  inter  bis  body) 
he  rose  up,*  and  went  into  the  city  for  that  night,  and 
the  next  day  departed,  with  Barnabas,  to  Derbe,  where 
they  preached  the  Gospel,  and  converted  many  to  the 
faith. 

They  did  not,  however,  continue  long  at  Derbe,  but 
returned  to  Lystra,  Iconium  and  Antioch,  confirming  the 
Christians  of  those  places  in  the  faith,  earnestly  per- 
suading them  to  persevere,  and  uot  to  be  discouraged  at 
those  troubles  and  persecutions  which  they  must  expect 
would  attend  the  profession  of  the  Gospel.  And  that  the 
affairs  of  the  church  might  be  conducted  with  more  regu- 
larity, they  ordained  elders  and  pastors,  to  teach,  instruct, 
and  watch  over  them;  having  done  which,  they  left  them 
to  the  protection  of  the  Almighty,  to  whose  care  they  re- 
commended them  by  prayer  and  fasting. 

From  Antioch  they  passed  through  Pisidia,  and  from 
thence  went  to  Pamphylia;  and,  having  preached  to  the 
people  at  Perga,  they  went  down  to  Attalia,  and  return 

*  This  circumstance  strongly  confirmed  the  faith  of  his  new  con- 
verts, who  all  supposed  that  he  was  dead.  His  recovery  must  have 
evidently  appeared  miraculous,  approaching,  as  near  as  can  be  con- 
ceived, to  a  resurrection  from  the  dead.  That  it  arose  from  a  su- 
perior power  was  undeniably  demonstrable,  by  his  going  the  next 
day  to  Derbe,  which  was  a  considerable  distance,  and  which  he 
could  not  have  done  without  the  interposition  of  Divine  Providence, 
because,  in  the  common  course  of  nature,  he  would  more  sensibly 
have  felt  his  bruises  than  when  he  first  received  them. 


134  FliOM   THE   ASCENSION    OF    CHRIST, 

ed,  by  sea,  to  Antioch  in  .Syria,  from  whence  they  had 
set  out  on  this  holy  expedition.  On  their  arrival  here, 
they  immediately  assembled  the  church  together,  and, 
having  given  an  account  of  their  success,  what  miracles 
God  had  wrought  by  their  hands,  and  a  large  door 
of  faith,  he,  by  their  ministry,  had  opened  to  the  Gentiles, 
they  suspended  their  farther  travels  for  the  present,  and, 
for  a  considerable  time,  took  up  their  abode  with  the  dis- 
ciples in  that  city. 

During  their  stay  here,  the  church  was  greatly  disturb- 
ed by  means  of  some  persons  coming  from  J  udea,  who 
taught  the  people  that  there  was  no  salvation  without 
circumcision,  and  the  observance  of  other  legal  cer- 
emonies. This  doctrine  was  strongly  opposed  by  Paul 
and  Barnabas;  in  consequence  of  which,  after  many  con- 
ferences and  disputations,  it  was  at  length  proposed,  that 
the  decision  of  the  matter  should  be  referred  to  the  gen- 
eral assembly  of  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem.  This  the 
whole  church  readily  agreed  to;  and  having  deputed 
Barnabas  and  Paul,  together  with  some  others,  to  go 
with  the  message,  they  conducted  them  part  of  the  way, 
and  the  two  apostles,  in  passing  through  Phoenicia  and 
Samaria,  took  care  to  relate  what  success  they  had  met 
with  in  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles,  to  the  great  joy 
and  comfort  of  all  the  brethren  in  those  parts. 

On  their  arrival  at  Jerusalem  they  were  kindly  re- 
ceived by  the  apostles  and  elders  of  the  church,  to  whom, 
after  reciting  the  great  success  they  had  met  with  in  the 
propagation  of  the  Gospel,  they  delivered  the  message  on 
which  they  were  sent.  They  told  them,  that  when  the 
Gentile  proselytes,  or  others  uncireumcised,  came  in  to 
the  faith,  some  Jewish  converts,  of  the  sect  of  the  Phari- 
sees, said,  that  such  could  not  be  admitted  into  the 
church  of  Christ  without  circumcision ;  that  great  disputes 
had  arisen  on  tins  head,  and  that  the  matter  was  referred 
to  the  church  at  Jerusalem. 

In  consequence  of  this  intelligence  a  council  was  im- 
mediately summoned  to  deliberate  on  the  matter,  and 
great  disputes  took  place  on  the  occasion.  At  length 
Peter,  rising  from  his  seat,  addressed  the  audience  in 
words  to  this  effect :  "  It  is  well  known  to  you  all,  that 


10  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.      143 

*•  «omc  time  since  Ged  made  choice  of  me  first  to 
"preach  the  Gospel  to  the  Gentiles;  and  God,  who 
u  knew  the  sincerity  of  their  hearts,  testified  that  they 
'•  were  acceptable  to  him  and  fit  to  be  baptized,  bestow- 
••  ing  on  them  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  he  had 
"  before  upon  ns,  making  no  difference  between  us  and 
•'•'  them.  By  this  one  act  the  matter  is  already  sufficiently 
w  determined.  Why,  then,  do  ye  press  this  thing  so  con- 
a  trary  to  the  will  of  God?  and  why  would  ye  wish  to 
"  impose  on  the  Gentile  converts  the  performance  of  the 
•■  Mosaic  law,  which  belonged  not  to  them,  and  which 
"  we  Jews  were  so  far  from  being  able  to  perform,  that 
u  our  conduct  could  not  be  justified  ?  It  is  from  the 
u  Gospel  that  we  expect  salvation  and  justification, 
••'  through  faith  and  obedience  to  Christ,  and  not  by  an 
li  observation  of  the  Mosaic  law:  from  whence  it  is  plain, 
'•'  that  if  the  Gentiles  believe,  they  have  the  same  way  to 
"  salvation  as  ourselves." 

When  Peter  had  concluded  his  observations,  Paul 
and  Barnabas,  iu  confirmation  of  what  he  had  said, 
declared  what  miracles  God  had  doue  by  them  in  the 
conversion  of  the  Gentiles,  which,  they  said,  was  another 
argument  and  testimony  from  heaven,  that  no  difference 
ought  to  be  made  between  them  and  the  Jews. 

Upon  this  James  (who  was  then  bishop  of  Jerusalem 
and  president  of  the  council)  stood  up,  and  spoke  to  this 
effect:  "  Men  and  brethren,  Peter  hath  sufficiently  de- 
a  monstrated  that  it  was  the  will  of  God  the  Gentiles 
u  should,  without  scruple,  have  the  Gospel  preached  to 
"  them,  and  be  baptized.  And  this  is  agreeable  to  what 
"  hath  been  foretold  by  the  old  prophets,  particularly 
u  Amos :  In  the  later  days  I  will  return,  and  will  build 
"again  the  tabernacle  of  David  which  is  fallen  down; 
u  and  I  will  build  again  the  ruins  thereof  and  I  will  set 
'''  it  up:  That  the  residue  of  men  might  seek  after  the 
"  Lord,  and  all  the  Gentiles  upon  whom  my  name  is 
"  called,  saith  the  Lord,  who  doeth  all  these  things. 
{i  Wherefore  it  is  my  conclusion  and  determination,  that 
'•  we  should  not  compel  those  to  be  circumcised,  who 
"  from  Gentiles  turn  Christians,  but  content  ourselves  if 
"  they  believe.    We  who  are  Jews  need  not  fear  that  this 

vol.  iv.        T 


■146  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

u  will  bring  a  contempt  upon  Moses  or  the  laws  of  the 
u  Jews,  since  the  contrary  appears  by  the  Christian 
"  practice;  for  even  where  those  proselytes  of  the  Gen- 
"  tiles  are,  the  books  of  Moses  are  continued  among 
"  them,  being  read  in  the  synagogues  every  sabbath -day, 
H  to  signify  their  respect  to  the  law." 

The  determination  of  the  bishop  of  Jerusalem  being 
unanimously  agreed  to,  it  was  next  resolved  to  send  some 
proper  persons  with  Paul  and  Barnabas  to  Antioch,  in 
order  that  they,  having  been  present,  might  give  a  satis- 
factory account  of  the  result  of  the  apostles'  embassy. 
They  accordingly  made  choice  of  two,  namely,  Judas, 
surnamed  Barsabas,  and  Silas,  men  of  distinguished  rep- 
utation, and  well  respected  by  all  Christians.  These,  ac- 
companied by  Paul  and  Barnabas,  proceeded  to  Antioch, 
taking  with  them  a  decree  drawn  up  by  the  council,  the 
substance  of  which  was  to  this  effect :  "  The  apostles, 
u  bishops  of  Judea  and  the  whole  society  of  Christians  in 
"  Jerusalem,  salute  the  church  of  the  Gentiles  which  is  in 
"  Antioch,  Syria  and  Cilicia.  We  having  received  an  ac- 
"  count,  that  some  of  the  Judaizing  Christians  who  went 
*;  from  hence  endeavored  to  subvert  you,  and  lead  you  to 
"  a  groundless  new  doctrine  of  the  necessity  of  all 
u  Christians  being  circumcised,  they  having  no  instruc- 
6{  tions  from  us  so  to  do.  We  have  decreed  in  council  to 
u  send  two  of  our  own  bishops  to  accompany  Barnabas 
6i  and  Paul,  persons  who  have,  in  preaching  the  Gospel. 
6i  behaved  themselves  with  all  sincerity,  and  hazarded 
"  their  lives  in  the  service  of  Christ.  We  have  sent  these 
u  that  they  may  tell  you  by  word  of  mouth  more  at  large 
il  our  determination  relative  to  the  business  on  which  you 
u  sent  Paul  and  Barnabas  to  Jerusalem.  Having  prayed 
<*  to  God  to  send  his  Holy  Spirit  to  abide  among  us,  and 
"  lead  us  to  all  truth,  we  have  determined,  that  the  Gen- 
"  tile  Christians  shall  not  be  obliged  to  circumcision,  or 
"  other  Judaical  observances,  or  to  any  more  than  those 
"  few  things  that  have  among  the  Jews  been  required  of 
u  all  proselytes ;  namely,  that  ye  abstain  from  meats  of- 
"  fered  to  idols,  and  from  blood,  and  from  things 
"  strangled,  and  from  fornication ;  which  things,  if  ye 
"  shall  observe,  there  will  be  no  more  of  the  Mosaic  law 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY,     i  1/ 

K  required  of  you,  particularly  circumcision  shall  not. 
'•  Farewel." 

With  this  decree  they  immediately  repaired  to  Antioch, 
whither  they  had  no  sooner  arrived,  than  the  Christian 
converts,  hoth  Jews  and  Gentiles,  Assembled  together  in 
order  to  know  the  issue  of  their  embassy.  As  soon  as 
they  were  met,  Paul  and  Barnabas  presented  to  them  the 
decretal  epistle,  which  they  caused  to  be  read  in  the  hear- 
ing of  the  whole  congregation.  The  contents  of  the  de- 
cree, which  were  ultimate,  gave  the  highest  satisfaction  to 
the  Gentile  converts,  who  greatly  rejoiced  at  finding  them- 
selves discharged  from  the  burden  of  the  law,  and  con- 
firmed in  their  Christian  liberty. 

While  Judas  and  Silas  were  at  Antioch,  (being  both 
men  df  excellent  gifts  in  the  interpretation  of  the 
scriptures)  they  employed  their  time  in  confirming  be- 
lievers in  the  truth  of  Christianity,  and,  after  a  short  stay, 
were,  with  all  kindness  and  civility,  dismissed  by  the 
church,  in  order  to  return  to  Jerusalem.  But  Silas,  for 
some  reasons,  was  unwilling  to  depart  so  soon,  choosing 
rather  to  tarry  with  Paul  and  Barnabas.  This  he  accord- 
ingly did,  and  those  three,  together  with  several  others  of 
the  brethren,  employed  themselves  in  instructing  such  as 
had  already  received  the  Christian  faith,  and  in  preach- 
ing to  others  who  had  not  yet  embraced  it. 

Soon  after  the  determination  of  the  council  at  Jerusa- 
lem, Peter  went  from  thence  to  Antioch,  where  using  the 
liberty,  which  the  Gospel  had  given  him,  lie,  for  some 
time,  conversed  familiarly  with  the  Gentile  converts,  eat- 
ing with  them,  and  living  with  them  in  the  same  manner 
they  did.  This  he  had  been  taught  to  do  by  the  vision  of 
the  sheet  let  down  from  heaven;  this  had  been  lately  de- 
creed at  Jerusalem ;  this  he  had  before  practised  with  re- 
gard to  Cornelius  and  his  family,  and  justified  the  action 
to  the  satisfaction  of  his  brethren;  tiiis  he  had  likewise 
done  after  his  arrival  at  Antioch,  till  some  Jewish 
Christians  (still  tenacious  of  the  ceremonial  law)  coming 
thither  from  Jerusalem,  Peter,  fearful  of  offending  or  dis- 
pleasing them,  withdrew  himself  from  the  Gentiles,  as  if 
it  had  been  unlawful  for  him  to  hold  conversation  with 
uncircumcised  persons;  notwithstanding  he  knew,  and 


148  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

was  fully  satisfied,  that  our  Blessed  Saviour  had  broken 
down  the  wall  of  partition  between  the  Jew  and  Gentile. 

Peter,  by  thus  acting  against  the  light  of  his  own  mind 
and  judgment,  condemned  what  he  had  approved,  and  de- 
stroyed the  superstructure  he  had  before  erected :  at  the 
same  time  he  confirmed  the  Jewish  zealots  in  their  gross 
errors,  filled  the  minds  of  the  Gentiles  with  scruples,  and 
their  consciences  with  fears. 

Paul,  who  was  not  ignorant  of  what  pernicious  influ- 
ence the  example  of  so  great  an  apostle  might  be  (es- 
pecially when  he  saw  Barnabas  carried  away  with  the 
stream  of  his  indiscretion)  was  greatly  irritated  at  his  con- 
duct, and,  in  the  presence  of  the  whole  church,  se- 
verely rebuked  him,  for  endeavoring  to  impose  that  yoke 
on  the  Gentiles,  which  he,  though  a  Jew,  thought  himself 
at  liberty  to  shake  off. 

A  few  days  after  this  Paul  and  Barnabas  resolved  to 
leave  Antioch,  and  visit  those  places  in  which  they  had 
some  time  before  planted  Christianity  among  the  Gentiles. 
In  this  intended  excursion  Barnabas  proposed  taking  with 
them  John  Mark;  but  the  proposition  was  highly  disap- 
proved of  by  Paul,  on  account  of  Mark's  having  deserted 
them  at  Pamphylia.  In  consequence  of  this,  a  warm  dis- 
pute took  place  between  them,  the  issue  of  which  was, 
that  they  determined  to  separate.*  Accordingly,  Barna- 
bas, accompanied  by  Mary,  went  to  Cyprus,  which  was 
his  native  country;  and  soon  after  Paul  having  chosen 
Silas  for  his  companion,  set  out  on  his  intended  visitation 
of  the  several  places,  in  which  he  had  before  propagated 
Christianity. 

*  From  hence  we  may  learn,  not  only,  that  these  great  lights  in 
the  Christian  Church  were  men  of  the  like  passions  with  us,  but  that 
God,  upon  this  occasion,  did  most  eminentl  illustrate  the  wisdom  of 
his  providence,  by  rendering  the  frailties  of  two  such  eminent  ser- 
vants instrumental  to  the  benefit  of  his  church,  since  both  of  them 
thenceforward  employed  their  extraordinary  industry  and  zeal,  sing- 
ly  and  apart,  which  till  then  had  been  united,  and  confined  to  the 
same  places. 


TO  T11K  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHKISTIAMTY.       1  10 


chap.  iv. 

Paul  trav  Is  through  various  countries,  accompanied  by  Silas 
and  Timothy.  They  go  to  Philippi,  where  l'uul  ejects  a 
spirit  of  divination, for  which  he,  and  Silas  are  first  scourged , 
and  then  put  in  prison,  but  afterwards  honorably  dismissed, 
l'aul  meets  with  great  opposition  at  Thessalonica,  upon 
which  he  goes  to  lierca.  and  from  thence  to  Athens,  where 
he  preaches  and  disputes  with  the  people  of  that  city.  He  goes 
from  Athens  to  Vorinlh,  from  whence  he  ivrites  his  first 
epistle  to  the  Tlicssaloiiians.  Makes  some  converts,  hut  is 
greatly  opposed  by  the  Jews.  Writes  his  second  epistle  to  the, 
Thessalonians.  Goes  from  Corinth  to  Ephesus,  and,  after 
staying  there  a  short  time,  proceeds  to  Jerusalem,  in  order  to 
celebrate  the  feast  of  the  Passover.  Returns  from  thence  to 
Ephesus,  where  he  baptizes  several  converts,  confers  on  them 
the  spirit  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  performs  many  astonishing 
miracles.  Seven  brothers,  ivho  are  exorcists,  attempt  to  imi- 
tate Paul,  but  are  severely  punished  for  their  presumption. 
The  travels  of  Peter,  with  the  contents  of  hisfrst  Epistle  In 
the  converted  Jews. 

WHEN  Paul  left  Antioch,  after  his  separation  from 
Barnabas,  he  and  his  companion  Silas  travelled  over  the 
provinces  of  Syria  and  Cilicia,  confirming  the  churches, 
and  leaving  with  each  a  copy  of  the  sy nodical  decree, 
which,  a  short  time  before,  had  been  passed  by  the  council 
at  Jerusalem.  From  these  parts  they  sailed  to  Crete,- 
w  here  Paul  propagated  the  Gospel,  and  constituted  Titus 
bishop  and  pastor  of  the  island,  leaving  him  to  settle  those 

*  This  was  one  of  the  richest  and  hest  islands  in  the  whole  Medi- 
terranean Sea.  It  is  said,  at  one  time,  to  have  contained  no  less  than 
an  hundred  considerable  towns  or  cities,  from  whence  it  had  the 
name  of  Hecatompolis.  From  the  goodness  of  the  soil,  and  tempera- 
ture of  the  air,  it  was  likewise  stiled  Macorios,  or  the  Happy  Island. 
At  present  it  is  commonly  called  Candia,  from  its  principal  town, 
which  bears  that  name.  It  is  situated  opposite  the  mouth  of  the 
TEgean  Sea,  or  Archipelago  :  and,  while  it  continued  in  the  hands  of 
the  Venetians,  was  an  archbishop's  see:  great,  rich  and  populous: 
hut,  since  it  came  into  the  possession  of  the  Turks  (which  was  in  the 
year  1669)  it  has  lost  all  marks  of  its  former  grandeur. 


150  FROM   THE   ASCENSION   OF   CHRIST, 

affairs  of  the  church,  which  time  would  not  permit  the 
apostle  to  do. 

From  Crete,  Paul  aud  Silas  returned  to  Cilicia,  and 
from  thence  went  to  Lystra.  Here  they  met  with  a  young 
man  named  Timothy,  whose  father  was  a  Greek,  but  his 
mother  a  Jewish  convert,  by  whom  he  had  been  brought  up 
under  all  the  advantages  of  a  pious  and  religious  education, 
especially  with  regard  to  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  he 
had  studied  with  the  greatest  assiduity  and  success.  This 
person  Paul  designed  as  a  companion  of  his  travels,  and 
a  special  instrument  in  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel.  But 
knowing  that  his  being  uncircumcised  would  prove  a 
stumbling-block  to  the  Jews,  he  caused  him  to  be  circum- 
cised; being  willing,  in  lawful  and  indifferent  matters,  to 
conform  himself  to  the  tempers  and  dispositions  of  all, 
that  he  might  thereby  farther  succeed  in  his  ministry,  and 
the  sooner  establish  that  doctrine  he  was  sent  to  propagate. 

After  staying  a  short  time  at  Lystra,  they  passed  through 
Phrygia*  and  Galatia,f  where  the  apostle  Paul  was  en- 
tertained with  the  greatest  kindness  and  veneration  by  the 
people,  who  looked  upon  him  as  an  angel  sent  immediate- 
ly from  heaven.  From  hence  he  intended  to  have  con- 
tinued his  progress  through  the  proconsular  Asia,  but  was 
prohibited  from  so  doing  by  a  particular  revelation.  In 
consequence  of  this  he  went  to  Mysia, J  and  after  attempt- 
ing in  vain  to  go  into  Bithynia,  §  proceeded  to  Troas,j| 

*  Phyrgia  is  a  province  of  Asia  Minor,  having  Bithynia  to  the 
north,  Galatia  to  the  east,  Lycia  to  the  south,  and  Mysia  to  the  west. 
The  inhabitants  of  this  country  (who  are  said  to  have  been  the  in- 
ventors of  augury  and  other  kinds  of  divination)  were  anciently  more 
superstitious  than  the  other  Asiatics,  as  appears  from  the  rites  which 
they  used  in  the  sacrifice  of  Cybele,  and  other  heathen  goddesses. 

t  Galatia  is  a  province  of  Asia  Minor,  bounded  on  the  west  by 
Phi;  gia,  on  the  east  by  the  river  Halys,  on  the  north  by  Paphlago- 
nia,  and  on  the  south  by  Lyaconia. 

J  Mysia  is  another  small  province  of  Asia  Minor,  bounded  on  the 
east  by  Phrygia,  on  the  west  by  Troas,  on  the  north  by  Bithynia,  and 
on  the  south  by  the  river  Hermus. 

§  Bithynia  is  likewise  a  region  of  Asia  Minor,  and  received  its 
name  from  one  of  its  kings,  named  Bythinus;  but  in  what  age  he 
reigned  we  are  not  informed. 

[|  Troas  was  a  small  country  belonging  to  Phrygia  Minor,  and  sit- 
uated to  the  west  of  Mysia.  upon  the  Hellespont.   It  took  its  name 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.    IjI 

where  soon  after  his  arrival  he  had  a  vision,  commanding 
him  to  direct  his  course  for  Macedonia.*  Paul  made  im- 
mediate preparations  for  obeying  these  orders,  being  fully 
assured  it  was  the  Lord  who  had  called  him  to  preach  the 
Gospel  in  that  country. 

Paul  and  his  companions,  having  embarked  at  Troas, 
sailed  to  the  island  of  Samothracia,f  and,  the  next  day, 
landed  at  Neapolis,|.  a  port  in  Macedonia,  from  whence 
they  travelled  to  Philippic  a  Roman  colony,  where  they 
coutinued  some  days. 

At  a  small  distance  from  Philippi  the  Jews  had  a 
proseuche,  or  place  of  devotion,  which  was  much  fre- 
quented by  the  devout  women  of  their  religion,  who  met 
there  to  pray  and  hear  the  law.  In  this  place  Paul  and 
his  companions  preached  the  glad  tidings  of  the  Grospel, 
and,  by  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  made  many  con- 
verts. Among  these  was  a  certain  woman  named  Lydia, 
a  seller  of  purple  in  Philippi,  but  a  native  of  Thyatira, 
whom  they  baptized,  with  her  whole  family;  in  return 
for  which  she  invited  them  to  lodge  in  her  house  during 
their  abode  in  that  city. 

from  its  principal  city,  which  was  a  sea-port,  and  situated  about  four 
miles  from  old  Troy. 

*  This  is  a  large  province  in  Greece,  and  was  anciently  called 
Emmathia,  but,  from  the  kings  of  Macedon,  it  was  afterwards 
called  Macedonia,  which  name  it  lias  ever  since  retained. 

f  Samothracia  is  a  small  island  in  the  iEgean  Sea,  lying  to  the 
west  of  Troas,  opposite  the  coast  of  Thrace,  from  whence  it  received 
its  name. 

t  Xeapolis  was  a  sea-port,  and  stood  very  near  to  Thrace.  At 
first  it  belonged  to  that  province,  but  was  afterwards  taken  into 
Macedonia. 

§  Philippi  was  one  of  the  chief  cities  of  Macedonia,  lying  to  the 
west  of  Neapolis.  It  was  originally  called  Dathos,  but  afterwards 
took  its  name  from  Philip,  the  famous  king  of  Macedon,  who  re- 
paired and  beautified  it.  In  process  of  time  it  became  a  Roman 
colony,  and  the  inhabitants  enjoyed  the  privileges  of  Roman  citi- 
zens, and  were  governed  by  the  Roman  laws.  These  indulgences 
were  conferred  on  them  both  by  Julius  and  Augustus  Caesar,  very 
probably,  in  memory  of  the  two  great  battles  that  were  fought  in 
the  plains  adjacent,  the  first  between  Julius  and  Pompey  the  Great, 
and  the  second  between  Augustus  and  Mark  Antony  on  the  one 
side,  and  Cassius  and  Brutus  on  the  other. 


i0%  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

As  Paul  and  his  companions  were  one  clay  going,  as 
usual,  to  the  before-mentioned  place  of  devotion,  they 
were  met  by  a  certain  damsel,  who  was  possessed  with  a 
spirit  of  divination,  by  means  of  which  her  masters  ac- 
quired considerable  advantage.  This  woman  followed 
Paul  and  his  companion,  crying  out,  These  men  are  the 
servants  of  the  Most  High  God,  which  shew  us  the  way  of 
salvation.  Paul,  at  first,  took  no  notice  of  her,  not  being 
willing  to  multiply  miracles  without  necessity.  Bat  when 
he  saw  her  following  them  several  days  together,  he  be- 
gan to  be  troubled  ;  and  therefore,  in  imitation  of  his  great 
master,  (who  would  not  suffer  the  devil  to  acknowledge 
Mm,  lest  his  false  and  lying  tongue  should  prejudice  the 
truth  in  the  minds  of  men)  commanded  the  spirit,  in  the 
name  of  Jesus,  to  come  out  of  her.  Accordingly  the  evil 
spirit  obeyed,  and  at  that  instant  left  the  damsel.     , 

This  miraculous  cure  proving  a  great  loss  to  her  mas- 
ters, (who  had  acquired  large  sums  from  her  soothsaying) 
they  were  vehemently  incensed  against  the  apostles. 
They  therefore  caused  Paul  and  Silas  to  be  apprehended 
and  carried  before  the  magistrates  of  the  city,  to  whom 
they  accused  them  of  introducing  many  innovations, 
which  were  prejudicial  to  the  state,  and  unlawful  for 
them  to  comply  with,  as  being  Romans. 

The  magistrates,  being  concerned  for  the  tranquility  of 
the  state,  and  fearful  of  all  disturbances,  were  very  for- 
ward to  punish  the  offenders,  against  whom  the  multitude 
testified;  and  therefore  they  commanded  the  officers  to 
strip  them,  and  scourge  them  severely  as  seditious  per- 
sons. This  was  accordingly  done,  after  which  they  were 
committed  to  close  custody,  and  the  jailer,  having  re- 
ceived a  strict  charge  to  keep  them  in  the  utmost  security, 
not  only  thrust  them  into  the  inner  prison,  but  likewise 
made  their  feet  fast  to  the  stocks. 

But  neither  the  obscure  dungeon,  nor  the  pitchy  man- 
tle of  the  night,  can  intercept  the  beams  of  Divine  joy 
and  comfort  from  the  souls  of  pious  men.  Their  minds 
were  all  serenity ;  and  at  midnight  they  prayed,  and  sung 
praises  to  God  so  loud,  that  they  were  heard  in  every  part 
of  the  prison.  Nor  were  their  prayers  offered  to  the  throne 
of  grace  in  vain :  an  earthquake  shook  the  foundations  of 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     1  .">•* 

the  prison,  opened  the  doors,  loosed  the  chains,  and  set 
the  prisoners  at  liberty. 

This  convulsion  of  nature  roused  the  jailor  from  his 
steep;  and  concluding,  from  what  he  saw,  that  all  his 
prisoners  were  escaped,  lie  was  going  to  put  a  period  to 
his  life,  which  being  observed  by  Paul,  he  hastily  called 
out,  Do  thyself  no  harw.for  we  are  all  here.  The  keep- 
er was  as  much  surprized  at  this  as  he  had  been  before 
terrified  at  the  thoughts  of  their  escape;  and  calling  for  a 
light,  he  went  immediately  into  the  presence  of  Paul  and 
Silas,  fell  down  at  their  feet,  took  them  from  the  dungeon, 
brought  them  to  his  own  house,  washed  their  stripes,  and 
then  besought  them  to  instruct  him  in  the  knowledge  of 
that  God  who  was  so  mighty  to  save.  Paul  readily  grant- 
ed his  request,  telling  him,  that,  if  he  believed  in  Jesus 
Christ,  he  and  his  whole  house  might  be  saved.  Accord- 
ingly the  jailor,  with  all  his  family,  were,  after  a  compe- 
tent instruction,  baptized,  and  received  as  members  of  the 
Christian  church. — How  happy  a  change  does  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Gospel  make  iu  the  minds  of  men !  How  does 
it  smooth  the  roughest  tempers,  and  instil  in  their  minds 
the  sweetest  principles  of  civility  and  good-nature!  He, 
who  but  a  few  moments  before  tyrannized  over  Paul  and 
Silas  with  the  most  cruel  usage,  now  treated  them  with 
the  greatest  respect,  and  shewed  them  the  highest  marks 
of  kindness. 

Early  the  next  morning  the  magistrates  (either  having 
heard  what  had  happened,  or  reflecting  on  what  they  had 
done  as  too  harsh  and  unjustifiable)  sent  their  sergeant 
to  the  jailor,  with  orders  immediately  to  discharge  Paul 
and  Silas.  The  jailor  joyfully  delivered  the  message, 
and  bade  them  depart  in  peace ;  but  Paul,  in  order  to 
make  the  magistrates  sensible  what  injury  they  had  done 
them,  and  how  unjustly  they  had  punished  them  without 
examination  or  trial,  refused  to  accept  of  their  discharge, 
alledging,  "  that  they  were  not  only  innocent  persons, 
but  denizens  of  Rome;  that,  as  they  had  been  illegally 
scourged  and  committed  to  prison,  their  delivery  should 
be  as  public  as  was  the  injury,  and  attended  with  a 
solemn  retraction  of  what  they  had  done." 

vol.  iv.         U 


154'  VROM  THE  ASCEXSIOX  OF  CHRIST, 

The  magistrates  were  greatly  terrified  at  this  message^ 
well  knowing  how  dangerous  it  was  to  provoke  the 
formidable  power  of  the  Romans,  who  never  suffered  any 
free  man  to  be  beateu  uncondemned.  They  therefore 
went  to  the  prison,  and  very  submissively  entreated  them 
to  depart  without  any  farther  disturbance.  This  small 
recompence  for  the  cruel  usage  they  had  received  was 
accepted  by  the  meek  followers  of  the  Blessed  Jesus : 
they  accordingly  left  the  prison,  and  retired  to  the  house 
of  Lydia,  in  which  were  a  great  number  of  converts.  To 
those  they  related  all  that  had  passed,  and  after  some 
conference  with  them,  they  took  their  leave  and  departed. 

From  Philippi  Paul  and  his  companions  travelled 
towards  the  west,  till  they  arrived  at  Thessaloniea,*  the 
metropolis  of  Macedonia.  Here  Paul  preached  in  the 
synagogues  of  the  Jews  three  sabbath-days  successively, 
proving,  from  the  predictions  of  the  Old  Testament,  that 
the  Messiah  was  to  suffer,  and  to  rise  again ;  and  that 
the  Blessed  Jesus  was  the  Messiah  spoken  of  by  the 
prophets.  Some  of  his  hearers,  among  whom  were  sever- 
al women  of  rank  and  quality,  believed,  and  were  con- 
verted to  the  faith,  but  the  greater  part  of  the  Jews  dis- 
approved of  his  doctrine. 

During  their  stay  at  Thessalouica,  they  lodged  in  the 
house  of  a  certain  Christian  named  Jason,  who  entertain- 
ed tliem  very  courteously.  But  the  Jews,  in  general, 
were  so  incensed  against  them,  that  they  would  not  suffer 
them  to  continue  at  rest.  They  refused  to  embrace  the 
Gospel  themselves,  and  therefore  envied  its  success,  and 
determined  to  oppose  its  progress.  Accordingly  they 
gathered  together  a  great  number  of  lewd  aud  wicked 
people,  who  beset  the  house  of  Jason,  intending  to  take 
Paul,  and  deliver  him  up  to  an  incensed  multitude.  But 
in  this  they  were  disappointed,  he,  with  his  companions, 

*  Thessaloniea  was  anciently  called  Thesma,  from  the  sea  to 
which  it  adjoins.  It  is  the  opinion  of  some  that  it  received  the  latter 
name  in  memory  of  the  victory  which  Philip  king  of  Macedon  ob- 
tained over  the  Thessalonians;  but  others  think  it  took  its  name 
from  Thessaloniea,  the  wife  of  Cassander,  and  daughter  of  Philip. 
It  is  at  present  called  Salonichi,  has  a  safe  harbor  for  the  benefit  of 
commerce,  and  is  an  archbishop's  see  of  the  Grecian  church. 


ro  THH  BULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     1  ;"»;- 

being  removed  from  thence  by  the  Christians,  and  con- 
cealed in  some  other  part  of  the  city.  This  disappoint- 
ment increased  their  rage,  and  they  determined  to  be  re- 
venged on  Jason,  who  had  concealed  them.  Accordingly 
they  seized  him,  with  some  others  of  the  brethren,  and 
carried  them  before  the  magistrates  of  the  city,  accused 
them  with  disturbing  the  peace  of  the  empire,  and  setting 
up  Jesus  as  a  king,  in  derogation  of  the  emperors  digni- 
ty and  authority.  In  consequence  of  this  accusation  both 
the  people  and  magistrates  became  their  euemics;  and 
though  Jason  was  only  accused  of  harboring  Paul  and 
his  companions,  yet  the  magistrates  could  not  be  prevail- 
ed ou  to  dismiss  Jason  and  his  brethren  till  they  had 
given  security  for  their  future  appearance. 

As  soon  as  the  tumult  was  over,  those  Thessalonians 
who  had  been  converted  sent  away  Paul  and  his  com- 
panions, by  night,  to  Bersea,  a  city  about  fifty  miles  to 
the  south  of  Thessalonica.  Here  also  Paul's  great  love 
for  his  countrymen  the  Jews,  and  his  earnest  wishes  for 
their  salvation,  excited  him  to  preach  to  them  in  particu- 
lar. Accordingly,  he  entered  into  their  synagogue,  and 
explained  the  Gospel  to  them,  proving,  from  the  scrip- 
tures of  the  Old  Testament,  the  truth  of  the  doctrine  he 
advanced.  The  Jews  here  were  of  a  more  ingenuous  and 
candid  temper  than  those  of  Thessalonica;  and  as  they 
heard  him,  with  great  reverence  and  attention,  expound 
the  scriptures,  so  they  searched  diligently,  whether  his 
proofs  were  proper  and  pertinent,  and  consonant  to  the 
sense  of  the  text  to  which  he  referred.  Having  done  this, 
and  found  every  thing  agreeable  to  what  Paul  had  ad- 
vanced, many  of  them  believed;  and  some  Gentiles 
(among  whom  were  several  women  of  quality)  following 
their  example,  became  obedient  to  the  faith.  The  news 
of  this  remarkable  success  being  carried  to  Thessalonica, 
the  Jews  of  that  place  were  so  incensed  that  great  num- 
bers of  them  went  to  Beraia,  and  raised  tumults  in  that  city ; 
in  consequence  of  which  Paul,  to  avoid  their  fury,  was 
obliged  to  leave  the  place,  but  Silas  and  Timothy,  who, 
perhaps,  were  either  less  known,  or  less  envied,  remain 
»>d  behind. 


156  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

Paul,  leaving  Benea  under  the  conduct  of  certain 
guides,  it  was  imagined  that  he  designed  to  retire  by  sea 
out  of  Greece,  that  his  restless  enemies  might  cease  their 
persecution;  but  the  guides,  in  conformity  to  Paul's  di- 
rection, conducted  them  to  Athens,*  where  they  left  him, 
after  receiving  orders  to  tell  Silas  and  Timothy  to  repair 
to  him  as  soon  as  possible. 

While  Paid  continued  at  Athens,  expecting  the  arrival 
of  his  companions,  he  walked  up  and  down  to  take  an 
accurate  survey  of  the  city,  which  he  found  wretchedly 
over-run  with  superstition  and  idolatry.  The  inhabitants 
were  remarkably  religious  and  devout,  they  had  a  great 
number  of  Gods  whom  they  adored;  false,  indeed,  they 
were,  but  such  as  they,  being  destitute  of  revelation,  ac- 
counted true;  and  so  very  careful  were  they  that  no  deity 
should  want  due  honor  from  them,  that  they  had  an  altar 
inscribed,  to  the  unknown  God.j- 

These  superstitious  practices  greatly  afflicted  Paul,  in 
consequence  of  which  he  exerted  all  his  endeavors  to 
convert  the  people.  He  disputed  on  the  sabbath-day  in  the 
synagogues  of  the  Jews ;  and,  at  other  times,  took  all  op- 
portunities of  preaching  to  the  Athenians  the  coming  of 
the  Messiah  to  save  the  world. 

This  doctrine  was  equally  new  and  strange  to  the 
Athenians;  and  though  they  did  not  persecute  Paul  as 

*  x^thens  was  once  the  most  celebrated  eity  for  learning  of  any  in 
the  world.  It  was  situated  on  a  gulf  of  the  iEgean  Sea,  which 
comes  up  to  the  isthmus  of*  the  Peloponnese,  or  Morea,  in  that  dis- 
trict of  Greece,  called  Attica,  and  was  the  parent  of  that  dialect 
which  was  esteemed  the  purest  and  finest  Greek.  Cicero  calls  it  the 
fountain,  from  whence  civility,  learning,  and  laws  were  derived  to 
other  nations. 

t  That  the  Athenians  had  altars  in  their  public  places,  without 
names  on  them,  and  others  to  unknown  gods,  is  evident  from  the 
testimony  of  Laertius,  who  informs  us,  that  when  a  great  plague 
raged  at  Athens,  and  several  means  had  been  attempted  for  the  re- 
moval of  it,  they  were  advised  by  Epimedies  the  philosopher,  to 
build  an  altar  and  dedicate  it  to  the  proper  and  peculiar  God  to 
whom  sacrifices  were  due.  And  the  Athenians  not  knowing  by  what 
name  to  call  him,  erected  an  altar  with  this  inscription,  To  the 
Gods  of  Asia,  Europe,  and  Africa,  to  the  strange  and  Unknown 
God :  by  which,  as  some  imagine,  they  intended  the  God  of  the  Jews, 
who  had  given  such  wonderful  deliverances  to  his  own  people. 


ro    mi'.  11  It  I.  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHKISTIANITY.     i-^7 

the  .lows  had  done,  yet  his  preaching  Jesus  was  con- 
sidered, by  the  Epicurean*  and  Stoic  philosophers,  as  a 
fabulous  legend.  The  generality  of  the  people,  however, 
considered  it  as  a  discovery  of  some  new  gods,  which 
they  had  not  yet  placed  in  their  temples;  and  though 
they  were  not  unwilling  to  receive  any  new  deities,  yet,  as 
the  Areopagusf  was  to  judge  of  all  gods,  to  whom  public 
worship  might  be  allowed,  they  took  him  before  the 
members  of  that  court,  to  give  an  account  of  his  doctrine. 
Paul,  being  placed  before  the  judges  of  this  high 
assembly,  explained  the  nature  of  the  doctrine  he  taught 
in  a  very  grave  and  elegant  speech,  the  substance  of 
which  was  to  this  effect:  u  Ye  men  of  Athens,  I  am  here 
(t  brought  as  a  prisoner  into  your  supreme  tribunal,  as 
"  one  who  sets  forth  strange  doctrines;  and  yet,  from  I  lie 
"  observations  1  have  made  since  I  arrived  in  your  city, 
"  I  find  you  so  much  attached  to  superstition,  that  you 
"  know  not  what  you  worship,  nay,  that  you  even  have 
"  such  a  number  of  idols,  that  you  cannot  find  names  for 
"  them;  for  one  of  your  altars  has  upon  it  an  inscription 
"  to  the  unknown  God.  That  the  true  God  of  heaven 
u  and  earth  is,  in  a  great  measure,  unknown  to  you  is 
u  very  evident,  and  that  is  the  Being  whose  works  I 
"  now  publish  to  you.  By  Him  was  all  nature  created  ; 
"  and  as  he  fills  immensity  with  his  presence,  so  he  can- 
"  not  be  circumscribed  by  temples  made  with  hands. 
"  Our  worship,  as  men,  can  add  nothing  to  his  per- 
"  fections;  for  all  we  have,  and  all  we  enjoy,  is  the  un- 
"  merited  gift  of  his  inexhaustible  bounty.  When  he 
"  created  us  out  of  nothing  he  appointed  that  we  should 
"  consider  ourselves  as  children  of  the  same  common 
"  parent;  and  in  the  course  of  his  Providence  he  has  so 

*  The  Epicureans  among  tie  Greeks  and  Romans  were  much  Hie 
same  as  the  Sadducees  among  the  Jews;  for  both  denied  a  Divine 
providence  and  a  future  state. 

f  The  Areopagus  was  a  celebrated  court  or  senate,  where  justice 
was  administered  to  all  ranks  of  people  by  judges  learned  in  the 
law.  It  was  situated  on  Mars-hill,  an  eminence  without  the  city, 
and  many  of  the  inhabitants  of  Athens  spent  much  of  their  time  in 
it,  disputing  with  each  other  on  speculative  points,  and  asking  news 
concerning  the  progress  of  the  Roman  arms  in  different  parts  of  the 
world. 


{58  FROM   THE   ASCENSION    OF    CHRIST, 

i:  ordered  it,  that  either  by  nature  or  revelation  we  should 
u  use  such  means  as  may,  in  the  end,  lead  us  to  the 
£i  knowledge  of  himself,  and  promote  our  eternal  bappi- 
ei  ness,  for  he  is  every  where  present,  and  none  of  our 
u  thoughts  can  be  hidden  from  him.  Nay,  be  not  sur- 
"  prized,  for  one  of  your  own  poets  has  expressly  dc- 
6t  clared,  that  we  arc  the  offspring  of  the  Supreme  Being, 
u  and,  therefore,  we  are  not  to  form  carnal  notions  of  his 
u  perfections,  as  if  he  could  be  represented  in  a  human 
"  shape.  It  is  true,  God,  in  his  iniiuite  mercy,  drew  a 
a  veil  over  those  ages  of  ignorance ;  but  now  he  hath 
a  made  his  will  known,  and,  therefore,  those  who  have 
"  been  long  slaves  to  their  lusts  and  passions,  are  com- 
*'•'  manded  to  turn  from  the  evil  of  their  ways,  in  order  to 
••  obtain  the  Divine  favor.  And  this  is  the  more  neces- 
i{  sary,  because  he  hath  fixed,  by  an  unalterable  decree, 
t{  that  when  the  universal  frame  of  nature  shall  be  dis- 
(i  solved,  he  will  raise  mankind  from  the  grave,  and  re- 
66  ward  or  punish  them  according  to  their  works  here 
*;  below.  As  a  proof  of  this  he  has  already  raised  up 
'•  Christ  from  the  dead,  and,  as  he  has  become  the  first 
"  fruits  of  those  who  still  sleep,  so  he  has  ordered  that, 
"  by  him,  all  mankind  shall  be  judged.  Such  is  the 
"  doctrine  I  deliver  unto  you,  and  I  leave  you  to  judge 
ft  whether  or  not  I  have  acted  as  an  impostor." 

That  part  of  Paul's  discourse  in  which  he  mentioned 
the  resurrection  gave  great  offence  to  some  of  the  philoso- 
phers, who  mocked  and  derided  him  ;  while  others,  more 
modest,  but  not  satisfied  with  the  proofs  he  had  given, 
gravely  said,  We  would  hear  thee  again  of  this  matter. 
After  this  Paul  left  the  court,  but  not  without  some 
success,  for  a  few  of  his  auditors  (among  whom  were 
Dionysius,  one  of  the  senators,  and  Damaris,  a  lady  of 
considerable  rank)  believed  his  doctrine,  and  attended  his 
instructions. — Thus  boldly  did  this  intrepid  servant  and 
soldier  of  Jesus  Christ  assert  the  cause  of  his  Divine 
Master  among  the  great,  the  wise  and  the  learned ;  and 
thus  did  he  reason,  with  the  most  distinguished  strength 
and  eloquence,  on  the  nature  of  God,  and  the  manner  in 
which  he  has  commanded  his  creatures  to  worship  him 
even  in  spirit  and  in  truth. 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     159 

During  Paul's  stay  at  Athens,  Timothy  and  Silas 
(according  to  the  orders  they  had  received)  came  to  him 
from  Thessalonica,  with  an  account  that  the  Christians 
there  had  been  under  persecution  from  their  fellow- 
citizens  ever  since  his  departure.  This  gave  great 
uneasiness  to  Paul,  and  at  first  inclined  him  to  visit 
them  in  person,  in  order  to  confirm  them  in  the  faith  they 
had  embraced.  But  reflecting  on  the  consequences  that 
might  ensue  if  he  went  himself,  he  sent  Timothy  and 
Silas  to  comfort  them,  and  put  them  in  mind  of  what  he 
had  before  told  them,  namely,  that  persecution  Avould  be 
the  constant  attendant  on  their  profession. 

After  the  departure  of  Timothy  and  Silas,  Paul  left 
Athens,  and  went  to  Corinth,*  where  he  met  with  a  cer- 
tain Jew,  named  Aquila,  lately  come  from  Italy,  with 
Priscilla  his  wife,  because  Claudius  had  made  an  edict 
for  banishing  all  the  Jews  from  Home.  Paul  having  in- 
structed these  two  in  the  Christian  faith,  took  up  his 
lodgings,  with  them  (and  made  their  house  his  principal 
place  of  residence)  during  his  stay  at  Corinth.  Every 
sabbath-day  he  preached  in  the  synagogues,  laboring  to 
convince  both  Jews  and  Greeks,  that  Jesus  was  the  true 
Me'ssiah. 

A  short  time  after  Paul  had  been  at  Corinth,  Timothy 
and  Silas  arrived  thither  from  Thessalonica,  with  the 
joyful  news  of  the  steadfast  adherence  of  the  Christians 
in  that  city  to  the  truth  of  the  Gospel.  This  was  a  matter 
of  great  consolation  to  Paul,  who  thereupon  wrote  his 
first  Epistle  to  the  Thessalonians.  In  this  epistle  (f  he 
highly  applauds  their  courage  and  zeal  in  the  belief  of 
the  Christian  religion,  and  exhorts  them  to  a  noble  con- 
stancy and  perseverence  amidst  their  afflictions :  he  com- 
mends them  for  their  charity  to  the  believers  in  Mace- 
donia, and  gives  them  many  instructions  concerning  con- 

*  Corinth  was  the  capital  of  Aehaia,  and  had  its  name  from  one 
Corinthus,  who  took  and  rebuilt  it.  Its  situation,  which  is  at  the 
bottom  of  the  isthmus  which  joins  the  Peloponnesus  to  the  continent, 
rendered  it  capable  of  commanding-all  Greece;  but  its  inhabitants. 
living'  as  it  were  upon  two  seas,  were  chiefly  merchants,  and  by  their 
commerce  produced  abundance  of  wealth,  which  produced  ostenta- 
tion, effeminacy,  and  all  manner  of  vice. 


160  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST,. 

versation,  and  leading  a  good  life :  lie  exhorts  them  to 
the  practice  of  all  purity  and  holiness ;  to  avoid  idleness ; 
to  be  diligent  in  their  callings,  and  not  immoderate  in 
their  grief  for  the  dead ;  and  concludes  with  instructions 
to  them  concerning  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  the 
manner  of  Christ's  coming  to  judge  the  world,  and  the 
obligation  all  were  under  to  make  a  timely  preparation 
for  so  solemn  an  event." 

After  the  arrival  of  Timothy  and  Silas  at  Corinth, 
Paul  preached  the  doctrine  of  Christ  with  fresh  ardor  to 
the  Jews ;  but  they  instead  of  attending  to  what  he  said, 
opposed  him,  and  what  they  could  not  conquer  by  fair 
argument,  and  force  of  reason,  they  endeavored  to  carry 
by  noise  and  clamor,  blended  with  blasphemous  and  op- 
probrious language.  In  consequence  of  this,  Paul,  to 
testify  his  abhorrence  of  their  behavior,  shook  his  gar- 
ments, and  told  them,  that  since  they  were  determined  to 
draw  down  the  vengeance  of  heaven  upon  their  own 
heads,  he  was  absolutely  guiltless  and  innocent,  and 
would  thenceforth  address  himself  to  the  Gentiles.  Ac- 
cordingly he  left  them,  and  repaired  to  the  house  of  one 
Justus,  a  religious  proselyte,  where,  by  his  preaching 
and  miracles,  he  converted  great  numbers  to  the  faith, 
among  whom  were  some  few  Jews,  particularly  Crispus, 
the  chief  ruler  of  the  synagogue,  and  two  others  of  con- 
siderable distinction,  who,  with  their  families,  were  bap- 
tized, and  admitted  members  of  the  Christian  church. 

Paul  was  greatly  perplexed  in  his  mind  on  account  of 
the  perverseness  and  obstinacy  of  the  Jews,  and  began  to 
despair  of  being  able  to  convince  them  of  the  impropriety 
of  their  behavior,  or  to  bring  them  to  an  effectual  discern- 
ment of  the  truth  of  his  doctrine.  But  he  was  encouraged 
to  persevere  in  the  attempt  by  an  heavenly  vision,  in 
which  he  was  told,  that  notwithstanding  the  bad  success 
he  had  hitherto  met  with,  there  was  a  large  harvest  to  be 
gathered  in  that  place :  that  therefore  he  should  not  be 
afraid  of  his  enemies,  but  preach  the  Gospel  boldly,  for 
that  he  might  be  assured  of  the  Divine  protection  in  all 
his  undertakings.  In  consequence  of  this,  and  in  certain 
iiopes  of  success,  Paul  continued  at  Corinth  for  the  space 


TO   rHB  rtlLL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.    J 7* I 

of  one  year  and  six  months,  teaching  the  word  of  God 
with  various  success  to  the  people. 

Some  time  after  Paul  had  received  encouragement 
from  the  heavenly  vision,  the  Jews  made  a  general  insur- 
rection against  hiin,  and  having  taken  him  into  custody, 
carried  him  before  Gallio,  who,  at  that  time,  was  pro- 
consul of  Achaia.  The  accusation  they  laid  against  him 
was,  that  he  had  attempted  to  introduce  a  new  religion, 
contrary  to  what  was  established  by  the  Jewish  law,  and 
permitted  by  the  llomau  powers.  But,  as  Gallio  appre- 
hended that  this  was  a  controversy  which  did  not  fall  un- 
der the  cognizance  of  the  civil  judicature,  he  would  not 
have  any  concern  in  it,  and  therefore  ordered  his  officers 
to  drive  them  out  of  the  court.  Upon  this  the  Gentiles 
took  Sosthenes,  a  ruler  of  the  synagogue,  and  one  of 
Paul's  chief  accusers,  and  beat  him  publicly  before  the 
tribunal;  but  this  did  not  give  the  pro-consul  the  least 
disturbance. 

Paul  continued  at  Corinth  some  time  after  this  incident, 
and,  before  his  departure  from  thence,  Avrole  his  second 
Epistle  to  the  Thessaloniaus.  In  this  Epistle  "  he  en- 
deavors to  confirm  their  minds  in  the  faith,  and  to  animate 
them  courageously  to  endure  persecution  from  the  unbe- 
lieving Jews,  a  lost  and  undone  race  of  men,  whom  the 
Divine  vengeance  was  ready  to  overtake :  he  rectifies  the 
misinterpretation  which  false  teachers  had  made  of  some 
passages  in  his  former  Epistle,  relative  to  the  day  of 
judgment,  as  if  it  was  just  at  hand,  and  shews  what 
events  (especially  that  of  the  coming  and  destruction  of 
the  man  of  sin  J  must  precede  the  approaoh  of  that  day. 
Having  craved  their  prayers  in  his  behalf,  and  made  his 
request  to  God  in  theirs,  he  concludes  with  divers  pre- 
cepts, especially  to  shun  idleness  aud  ill  company,  and 
mot  to  be  weary  in  well-doing." 

After  Paul  had  planted  the  church  of  Corinth,  he  left 
that  city,  and,  taking  with  him  Aquila  and  Priscilla,  em- 
barked at  Ceuchrea,  from  whence  they  sailed  to  Ephesus.* 

*  Ephesus,  the  metropolis  and  principal  mart  of  (he  Pro-con- 
sular Asia,  was  situated  upon  the  river  Cayster,  and  on  the  side 
of  a  hill,  which,  towards  the  west,  had  the  prospect  of  a  lovely 
plain,  watered  and  beautified  with  the  pleasant  circles  of  the  river, 

vol.  iv.        X 


l&J  KROxM   THE   ASCENSION    OF   CHRIST, 

Here  he  preached  some  time  in  the  synagogue  of  the 
Jews ;  but,  being  resolved  to  attend  the  celebration  of  the 
passover  at  Jerusalem,  he  set  sail  for  Cesarea,  leaving  be- 
hind him  Aquila  and  Priscilla,  to  whom  he  promised  to 
return  (if  God  would  permit)  as  soon  as  possible.  From 
Cesarea  Paul  proceeded  to  Jerusalem,  and  after  having 
visited  the  church  there,  and  kept  the  feast  of  the  Pass- 
over, went  to  Antioch.  Here  he  stayed  some  time,  and 
then  traversed  the  countries  of  Cralatia  and  Phrygia, 
taking  his  course  towards  Ephesus,  and  confirming  the 
new  converted  Christians  in  every  place  through  which 
he  passed. 

I)uring  the  time  Paul  spent  in  this  large  circuit,  Pro- 
vidence look  care  of  the  churches  of  Ephesus  and  Corinth 
by  means  of  one  Apollos,  an  eloquent  Jew  of  Alexandria, 
and  well  acquainted  with  the  law  and  writings  of  the 

turning  and  winding  in  so  many  curious  mazes,  that  some  travellers 
have  mistaken  it  for  the  meander,  and  this  the  rather,  because  the 
Turks  gave  it  the  name  of  the  Lesser  Mendres.  Among  heathen 
authors  this  city  was  once  much  celebrated  for  its  famous  temple 
of  Diana,  which,  for  its  largeness  and  workmanship,  was  accounted 
one  of  the  seven  wonders  of  the  world.  It  is  said  to  have  been  42.') 
feet  long,  220  broad,  and  to  have  been  supported  with  127  pillars  of 
marble,  70  feet  high,  whereof  27  were  most  curiously  wrought,  and 
all  the  rest  polished.  One  Ctesiphon,  a  famous  architect  in  his  time, 
contrived  the  model  of  it,  and  that  with  so  much  art  and  curiosity, 
that  it  took  up  two  hundred  years  before  it  was  finished,  even 
though  it  was  built  at  the  common  charge  of  all  Asia  properly  so 
called.  After  it  was  finished  it  was  seven  times  set  on  fire;  but. 
once  more  especially,  on  the  very  same  day  that  Socrates  was 
poisoned,  400  years  before  Christ;  and,  at  another  lime  (when 
Erostratus  fired  it  only  to  get  himself  a  name)  on  the  same  night 
that  Alexander  the  Great  was  born.  It  was  rebuilt,  however,  and 
beautified  by  the  Ephesians,  to  which  work  the  Ladies  of  Ephesus 
contributed  very  largely.  In  the  time  of  our  apostle,  it  retained  a 
great  deal  of  its  former  grandeur;  but  at  present  it  is  only  an  heap 
of  ruins.  The  only  two  buildings  worth  observation  are,  a  strong 
and  lofty  castle,  situate  on  an  eminence,  and  a  beautiful  church, 
honored  with  the  name  of  St.  John,  but  now  converted  into  a 
Turkish  mosque.  AH  the  rest  of  the  place  is  the  habitation  of 
herdsmen  and  farmers,  who  live  in  low  and  humble  cottages  of  dirt, 
covered  oli  the  top  with  earth,  and  sheltered  from  the  extremity  of 
the  weather  by  mighty  masses  of  ruinous  walls,  the  pride  and  osten- 
tation of  former  days,  and  in  the  present,  the  emblem  of  the  frailty 
of  the  world,  and  the  transient  vanity  of  human  glory. 


TO   ill/:  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     i68 

prophets.  This  man,  going  to  Ephesus,  though  he  was 
only  instructed  in  the  rudiments  of  Christianity,  and 
John's  baptism,  yet  taught  with  greal  courage,  and  a  most 
powerful. zeal.  After  being  fully  instructed  in  the  faith  by 
Aquila  and  Priscilla,  he  passed  over  into  Achaia,  being 
furnished  with  recommendatory  letters  by  the  churches  of 
Ephesus  and  Corinth,  lie  was  of  great  service  in  Achaia, 
by  watering  what  Paul  had  planted,  confirming  the  dis- 
ciples, and  powerfully  convincing  many  others  of  the 
.lews  that  Jesus  was  the  true  and  only  Messiah  promised 
in  the  Sacred  Writings. 

While  Apollos  was  thus  employed,  Paul  returned  to 
Ephesus,  where  he  took  up  his  abode  for  a  considerable 
time.  The  first  thing  he  did  after  his  return  was,  to  ex- 
amine certain  disciples  (in  number  about  twelve)  whether 
they  had  received  the  Holy  Ghost  since  they  believed?  To 
Which  they  answered,  "  That  the  doctriuc  they  had  re- 
ceived did  not  promise  any  thing  of  that  nature,  nor  had 
they  ever  heard  that  such  an  extraordinary  spirit  had 
been  bestowed  on  the  members  of  the  church."  This  an- 
swer greatly  surprized  the  apostle,  who  asked  them  in 
what  name  they  had  been  baptized ;  since  in  the  Christian 
form,  the  name  of  the  Holy  Ghost  was  always  express- 
ed? They  replied,  that  they  had  only  received  John's 
baptism;  upon  which  the  apostle  informed  them  that, 
though  John's  baptism  commanded  nothing  but  repent- 
ance, yet  it  tacitly  implied  the  whole  doctrine  of  Christ 
and  the  Holy  Ghost.  When  they  heard  this  they  were 
baptized  according  to  the  form  prescribed  by  Christ  him- 
self, that  is,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost:  and  after  the  apostle  had  prayed 
and  laid  his  hands  on  them,  they  received  the  gifts  of 
tongues  and  other  miraculous  powers. 

After  ttris  Paul  entered  into  the  Jewish  synagogues, 
in  which  (for  the  first  three  months)  he  daily  contended 
and  disputed  with  the  Jews,  endeavoring,  with  great 
earnestness  and  resolution,  to  convince  them  of  the  truth 
of  the  Christian  religion.  But  when,  instead  of  meet- 
ing with  success,  he  found  they  were  inflexible  in  their 
obstinacy  and  infidelity,  lie  left  the  synagogue,  and, 
taking  those  with  him  whom  he  had  converted,  instructed 


l/^  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

them,  and  others  who  resorted  to  him,  in  the  school  of  one 
Tyrannus.  Here  he  continued  to  preach  the  Gospel  two 
years,  by  which  means  the  Jews  and  proselytes  had  an 
opportunity  of  hearing  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation;  and 
as  miracles  were  the  clearest  evidence  of  a  Divine  com- 
mission, God  was  pleased  to  testily  tlie  truth  of  the  doc- 
trine Paul  preached,  by  a  variety  of  miraculous  opera- 
tions, many  of  which  were  of  the  most  peculiar  and  extra- 
ordinary nature;  for  he  not  only  healed  those  diseased 
persons  that  came  to  him,  but,  if  handkerchiefs  or  aprons 
were  only  touched  by  him,  and  applied  to  the  sick,  or 
those  possessed  with  evil  spirits,  they  were  instantly 
cured. 

In  the  city  of  Ephesus,  and  its  neighborhood,  wcro 
many  vagabond  Jews,  who  went  about,  from  one  place  to 
the  other,  pretending  to  cure  diseases,  and  cast  Out  devils 
by  their  exorcisms.  Among  these  were  seven  brothers 
(the  sons  of  one  Sceva,  a  Jewish  priest)  who  observing 
with  what  facility  Paul  effected  his  miraculous  cures  and 
dispossessions  of  evil  spirits,  attempted  themselves  to  do 
the  like ;  and,  to  add  greater  force  to  their  proceedings, 
instead  of  the  usual  form  of  incantation  (which  was  in  the 
name  of  the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob)  they  in- 
voked the  name  of  Jesus  over  a  demoniac.  But  here  it 
pleased  God  to  make  a  most  distinguished  and  visible 
difference  between  those  who  applied  this  powerful  name 
regularly  and  with  commission,  and  others,  who,  of  their 
own  heads,  and  for  ill  designs,  dared  to  usurp  it;  for  the 
demoniac,  falling  upon  the  exorcists,  tore  off  their  clothes, 
wounded  their  bodies,  and  scarce  suffered  them  to  escape 
with  their  lives. 

When  this  singular  event  came  to  be  known  among  the 
Jews  and  Gentiles  in  Ephesus,  they  were  filled  with  such 
a  reverential  fear,  that  noue  dared  to  mention  the  name  of 
Jesus,  but  with  the  most  profound  respect ;  and  many, 
who  had  addicted  themselves  to  the  study  of  magic,  ac- 
knowledged their  sins,  and  publicly  burnt  their  books, 
the  value  of  which  was  estimated  at  no  less  than  fifty 
thousand  pieces  of  silver.  So  efficacious  was  the  Gospel 
of  Christ  in  these  parts ! 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     1/5 

"While  Paul  was  diligently  pursuing  his  ministry  at 
Ephesus,  Peter  was  preaching  the  Gospel  to  the  Jews  in 
several  provinces  of  the  Lesser  Asia;  from  whence, 
travelling  eastward,  he  at  length  came  to  the  ancient  city 
of  Babylon  in  Chaldea.  Here  he  staid  some  time,  and 
from  hence  wrote  his  first  epistle  (which  is  called  a  Cath- 
olic or  General  Epistle)  to  (he  converted  Jews  who  were 
dispersed  in  various  parts  of  Chaldea.  Peter  introduces 
this  admirable  epistle  with  a  solemn  thanksgiving  to  God 
for  their  call  to  Christianity,  whereby  they  had  obtained  a 
lively  hope  of  an  eternal  inheritance  in  heaven;  after 
which  he  recommends  them  to  the  practice  of  several 
virtues,  as  a  means  to  make  their  calling  and  election 
sure,  viz.  "  That  they  should  live  in  a  constant  worship 
and  fear  of  God,  and  imitate  their  Master,  Jesus  Christ, 
in  holiness  and  purity;  that  they  should  be  diligent 
hearers  of  the  Gospel,  and  grow  up  to  perfection  by  it; 
that  they  should  lead  exemplary  lives  among  the  Gentiles, 
abstaining  from  carnal  lusts,  and  behaving  themselves 
with  modesty,  thereby  to  convince  their  enemies,  'hat 
calumnies  would  be  unreasonable;  that  they  should  be- 
have themselves  well  under  their  respective  relations,  sub- 
mitting themselves  to  their  governors,  whether  superior 
or  inferior  to  themselves  in  point  of  circumstances;  that 
servants  should  obey  their  masters,  wives  be  subject  to 
their  husbands,  and  husbands  honor  their  wives;  that  they 
should  all  love  one  another  fervently  and  unfeignedly, 
bear  afflictions  patiently,  live  in  union,  and  sympathize 
with  each  other  in  their  afflictions.  And  lastly,  that  the 
ministers  and  pastors  of  the  several  churches  should  take 
special  care  of  the  flocks  committed  to  their  charge;  teach 
them  diligently,  and  govern  them  gently,  not  seeking 
their  own  gain  and  profit,  but  the  salvation  of  the  souls  of 
the  people." — This  is  the  purport  of  Peter's  Epistle  to 
the  converted  Jews;  and  the  whole  is  written  with  a 
fervor  and  zeal  truly  consistent  with  the  sentiments  and 
abilities  of  so  great  an  apostle.  The  language  is  simple, 
and  every  expression  so  formed,  as  to  convey  a  thorough 
idea  of  his  meaning  to  the  weakest  capacity.  All  the  argu- 
ments he  makes  use  of  to  teach  them  patience  are  drawn 


166  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

from  the  sacred  writings,  and  are  consistent  with  the  doc> 
trines  of  true  religion. 


CHAP.  T. 

2* uniforms  the  resolution  of  leaving  Ephesus,  but,  before  Ms 
departure,  receives  advice  of  the  misconduct  of  the  converts 
at  Corinth,  in  consequence  of  which  he  writes  his  first 
Epistle  to  the  Corinthians.  He  likewise,  on  a  like  complaint, 
writes  his  Epistle  to  the  Galatians.  A  great  tumult  happens 
at  Ephesus,  occasioned  by  one  Demetrius,  a  silversmith  ;  but 
is  at  length  suppressed  by  the  judicious  conduct  of  the  Re- 
corder of  the  city.  Paul,  after  appointing  Timothy  bishop  of 
Ephesus,  leaves  that  city,  and  goes  to  Macedonia,  from 
whence  he  writes  his  second  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians.  He 
leaves  Macedonia,  and  goes  to  Corinth,  from  whence  he 
ivrites  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  Returns  from  Corinth  to 
Macedonia,  and  performs  a  singular  miracle  at  Troas.  Goes 
from  Troas  to  Miletus,  where  he  gives  the  Ephesian  clergy 
his  pastoral  charge.  Proceeds  from  Miletus  to  Jerusalem, 
where  he  is  apprehended  by  the  Jews.  Claudius  Lysias, 
commander  of  the  Jloman  garrison  in  the  castle  of  Jlntonia, 
interposes  in  his  behalf.  Paul  escapes  scourging,  and  hap- 
pily eludes  the  malice  of  tlie  Jews. 

PAUL,  having  been  at  Ephesus  about  two  years, 
resolved  to  return  into  Macedonia,  and  after  going  from 
thence  to  Jerusalem,  in  order  to  celebrate  the  feast  of 
Pentecost,  to  proceed  in  his  journey,  which  he  had  long 
intended,  to  Rome.  In  consequence  of  these  resolutions, 
and  as  a  necessary  preparation  to  carry  them  into  execu- 
tion, lie  sent  Timothy  and  Erastus  before  him  into  Mace- 
donia, while  himself  staid  behind  at  Ephesus,  in  order  to 
settle  some  matters  that  were  necessary  to  be  adjusted  pre- 
vious to  his  departure. 

Soon  after  Timothy  and  Erastus  had  left  Ephesus, 
Paul  received  information  of  some  disturbances  at  Corinth, 
hatched  and  fomented  by  a  number  of  false  teachers  crept 
in  among  the  converts  of  that  city,  who  endeavored  to 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTAB1  ISHMBNT  Of  CBRIST1  \\IT\.     tt>7 

draw  them  into  parties  and  factions,  by  persuading  sonic 
in  hi*  for  Paul,  and  others  lor  Apollos,  the  different  per- 
sons from  whom  they  had  received  instructions  relative  to 
the  Christian  faith.  In  consequence  of  these  disturbances 
they  committed  great  disorders,  and  celebrated  the  Holy 
Sacrament  very  irreverently.  They  were  addicted  to  for- 
nication, and  one  in  particular  had  run  into  incest,  by 
marrying  his  Fathers  wife.  They  were  unjust  and 
fraudulent  in  their  dealings;  they  went  to  law  at  heathen 
tribunals,  and,  among  them  were  found  some,  who  were 
bold  and  profligate  enough  to  deny  the  resurrection. 

To  quell  these  schisms  and  factions  which  had  taken 
place,  and  to  chastise  them  in  a  proper  manner  for  their 
misconduct,  Paul  wrote  his  first  Epistle  to  the  Coriuth- 
i:ms,  in  which  lie  "  shews  the  inequality  of  Christ's  min- 
isters, and  their  insufficiency  for  the  work  to  which  they 
are  ordained,  without  the  Divine  assistance;  orders  the 
incestuous  person  to  be  excommunicated,  lest  his  example 
should  infect  others;  blames  their  litigious  law-suits,  as 
thinking  it  much  better  to  refer  their  differences  to  some 
of  their  own  body;  propounds  the  first  institution  of  the 
sacrament,  and  a  previous  examination  of  their  lives,  to 
bring  them  to  a  right  use  of  it;  and,  having  added  several 
things  concerning  a  decent  behavior,  both  of  men  and 
women,  in  their  churches;  concerning  the  gifts  of  the 
Holy  Ghost;  the  excellency  of  charity ;  the  gift  of  tongues, 
and  prayer  iu  an  unknown  language,  he  proves  the  truth 
of  the  Gospel,  and  the  certainty  of  a  future  resurrection, 
almost  to  a  demonstration. 

It  was  about  this  time  also  that  Paul  wrote  his  Epistle 
to  the  Galatians.  He  had  received  information  that,  since 
his  departure  from  thence,  several  impostors  had  crept  in 
among  them,  who  strongly  insisted  on  the  necessity  of  cir- 
cumcision, and  other  Mosaic  rites,  and  greatly  disparaged 
his  authority.  Paul,  therefore,  in  this  Epistle,  reproves 
them  with  some  necessary  warmth  and  severity,  for  suf- 
fering themselves  so  easily  to  be  imposed  upon  by  the 
crafty  artifices  of  seducers.  He  largely  refutes  these ju- 
daical  opinions  wherewith  they  were  infected,  and,  by 
several  arguments,  proves,  that  the  slavery  of  the  law- 
brought  a  curse  with  it;  was  destructive  of  their  Christian 


17^  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

liberty,  and  incapable  of  procuring  their  justification  in 
the  sight  of  God.  Among  these  reproofs  and  arguments, 
however,  he  intermixes  several  exhortations  full  of  pater- 
nal and  apostolic  charity;  and,  towards  the  conclusion, 
gives  them  many  excellent  rules  and  directions  for  the 
conduct  of  their  lives  and  conversations." 

A  short  time  before  Paul  left  Ephesus,  a  circumstance 
occurred,  which  occasioned  a  general  disturbance  through- 
out the  city,  and  had  nearly  proved  fatal  to  him  and 
his  adherents.  In  the  celebrated  temple  of  Diana  was  au 
image  of  that  goddess,  which  the  idolatrous  priests  per- 
suaded the  people  was  made  by  Jupiter  himself,  and 
dropped  down  from  heaven;  for  which  reason  it  was  held 
in  great  veneration,  not  only  at  Ephesus,  but  throughout 
all  Asia.  In  consequence  of  this  the  people  procured 
silver  shrines,  or  figures  of  the  temple  and  Diana,  of 
such  a  size  as  to  carry  in  their  pockets,  either  for  curi- 
osity, or  to  stir  them  up  to  their  devotion.  This  proved 
the  source  of  a  great  deal  of  business  to  the  silversmiths 
of  Ephesus ;  of  whom  one  Demetrius  Avas  the  chief.  This 
man  plainly  perceiving  that  Christianity  tended  to  the 
subversion  of  idolatry,  and  consequently  to  the  ruin  of 
their  gainful  employment,  called  all  the  artists  together, 
and  pathetically  represented  to  them,  how  inevitably  they 
must  be  reduced  to  a  state  of  poverty,  if  they  suffered 
Paul  to  bring  their  temple  and  goddess  into  contempt,  by 
persuading  people,  as  he  did,  that  they  were  no  gods 
which  were  made  with  hands. 

This  speech  of  Demetrius  fired  them  with  a  zeal  which 
they  could  no  longer  contain ;  so  that  they  cried  out  with 
one  voice,  Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians.  They* 
should,  indeed,  have  considered  that  if  their  goddess  was 
able  to  defend  herself  against  the  doctrines  preached  by 
Paul,  neither  she  nor  the  temple  were  in  auy  danger: 
whereas  if  Paul  was  able  to  destroy  their  gods,  it  was  in 
vain  for  them  to  resist  him.  But  interest  and  superstition 
meeting  in  the  minds  of  a  bigotted  multitude,  admitted  of 
no  reason.  They  were  all  fired  with  a  zeal  for  their  god- 
dess, and  determined,  if  they  could  find  Paul,  to  expose 
him  to  the  beasts  in  the  theatre,  it  being  customary,  in 
those  days,  at  the  celebration  of  their  public  games  and 


TO    in:  IBUSHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.      1 09 

festivals,  to  expose  such  as  they  deemed  criminals  to  the 
ravage  of  wild  beasta  for  the  diversion  of  the  spectators. 
The  whole  city  was  filled  with  the  tumult:  and  the  crowd 
missing  Paul,  laid  hold  on  (»aius  and  Aristarchus,  two 
Macedonians  of  Paul's  company,  and  hurried  them  into 
the  theatre,  with  a  design  to  throw  them  to  the  wild 
beasts.  Paul,  who  was  at  this  time  in  a  place  of  security,. 
ing  of  the  danger  to  which  his  brethren  were  exposed, 
-was  very  desirous  of  venturing  after  them,  in  order  to 
speak  in  their  behalf:  but  he  was  at  last  dissuaded  from 
it  not  only  by  the  Christians,  but  also  by  the  Gentile 
governors  of  the  theatrical  games',  who  were  his  friends, 
and  who  assured  him  that  he  would  only  endanger  him- 
self without  rescuing  his  friends. 

The  noise  and  confusion  of  the  multitude  was  now 
s,  most  of  them  not  knowing  the  reason  for 
which  they  were  come  together;  and  therefore  some  said 
one  thing,  and  some  another.  In  this  distraction  Alexan- 
der, a  Jewish  convert,  was  singled  out  by  the  multitude, 
and  by  the  instigation  of  the  Jews  was  going  to  make  his 
defence,  in  which,  doubtless,  he  would  have  laid  the 
whole  blame  upon  Paul;  but  the  multitude  perceiving 
him  to  be  a  Jew,  and  therefore  suspecting  he  was  one  of 
Paul's  associates,  raised  another  outcry  for  near  two 
hours  together,  wherein  nothing  could  be  heard,  but 
Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians.  This  confusion  brought 
the  town-clerk,  or  recorder  of  the  city,  who  kept  the  reg- 
ister of  the  games,  into  the  theatre,  to  suppress,  if  possi- 
ble, so  uncommon  a  tumult.  Having,  with  great  difficul- 
ty, obtained  silence,  he  calmly  and  discreetly  told  them, 
"  That  it  was  sufficiently  known  to  all  the  world  what  a 
mighty  veneration  the  inhabitants  of  Ephesus  had  for 
their  great  goddess  Diana,  and  the  famous  image  which 
fell  down  from  Jupiter,  so  that  there  needed  not  any  dis- 
turbance to  vindicate  and  assert  it;  that  they  had  seized 
on  persons,  who  were  not  guilty  either  of  sacrilege  or 
blasphemy  against  their  goddess ;  that  if  Demetrius  and 
his  company  had  any  just  charge  against  them,  the  courts 
were  sitting,  and  they  might  enter  their  accusation;  or, 
if  the  controversy  was  about  any  other  matter,  there  were 
proper  judicatures  to  determine  if  iu:  that  therefore  they 

voi.  iv.  Y 


I1/*)  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

would  do  well  to  be  pacified,  having  done  more  already 
than  they  could  answer,  and  being  in  danger  of  incurring 
a  severe  punishment,  if  they  should  be  called  to  an  ac- 
count (as  very  likely  they  might)  for  that  day's  riotous 
assembly." 

This  speech  had  the  desired  effect :  the  multitude  were 
convinced  that  they  had  acted  very  improperly,  and 
therefore  repaired  to  their  respective  habitations;  and 
Graius,  Aristarchus,  and  Alexander  were  released  with- 
out any  hurt.  But  the  escape  of  Paul  was  so  remarkable, 
that  he  mentions  it  as  a  miraculous  deliverance.  We  had 
(says  he)  the  sentence  of  death  in  ourselves,  that  we 
should  not  trust  in  ourselves,  hut  in  God,  who  raised  the 
dead,  who  delivered  us  from  so  great  a  death.  And  in 
another  place  lie  tells  us,  he  fought  icith  beasts  at 
Ephesus;  alluding  either  to  the  desigu  of  the  enraged 
multitude  of  throwing  him  to  the  wild  beasts  in  the  thea- 
tre, though  their  intention  was  not  executed,  or  to  the 
manners  of  the  people,  who  justly  deserved  the  character 
of  being  savage  and  brutal  to  the  highest  degree. 

Soon  after  the  tumult  was  suppressed  at  Ephesus, 
Paul,  having  called  the  church  together,  and  constituted 
Timothy  bishop  of  the  place,  took  his  leave,  and  depart- 
ed by  Troas  to  Macedonia;  where,  having  instructed 
some,  and  confirmed  others  in  the  principles  of  a  sound 
faith  and  holy  life,  he  continued  his  preaching  all  over 
the  country,  even  as  far  as  Illyricum.*  During  this  jour- 
ney Paul  met  with  many  troubles  and  dangers,  without 
were  fightings,  and  within  fears;  but  God,  who  comfort  - 

*  This  is  a  province  of  Europe,  lying  to  the  north  or  north-west 
of  Macedonia,  along  the  Adriatic  Sea,  now  called  the  Gtilph  of 
Venice.  It  was  commonly  distinguished  into  two  parts;  Lyburnia  to 
the  north,  where  now  lies  Croatia;  and  Dalmatia  to  the  south, 
which  still  retains  its  name.  St.  Paul  tells  us,  that  from  Jerusalem, 
and  round  about  unto  Illyricum,  he  had  fully  preached  the  Gospel  of 
Christ.  Rom.  xv.  19.  So  that  he  must  have  travelled  into  Syria, 
Phoenicia,  Arabia,  Cilicia,  Pamphylia,  Pisidia,  Lycaonia,  Galatia, 
Pont  us,  Paphlagonia,  Phrygia,  Troas,  Asia,  Caria,  Lysia,  Ionia, 
Lydia,  the  isles  of  Cyprus  and  Crete,  Thracia,  Macedonia,  Thes- 
salia,  and  Achaia.  So  justly,  and  without  ostentation,  might  he  say, 
that,  in  relation  to  the  other  apostles,  he  labored  more  abundantly 
than  them  all.  1  Cor.  xv.  10. 


to  Tin:  full  establishment  of  Christianity.     17 1 

cth  those  that  arc  cast  down,  revived  his  spirits  by  the 
arrival  of  Titus,  who  gave  him  a  pleasing  account  of  the 
gsod  effects  his  epistle  had  produced  at  Corinth,  ami 
•what  great  reformation  it  had  wrought  among  the  converts 
of  that  city.  13ut,  as  several  vain-glorious  teachers  still 
persisted  iii  their  contumacy,  vilifying  his  authority,  and 
misrepresenting  his  words  and  actions;  charging  him, 
particularly  with  levity,  in  not  going  there  according  to 
Lis  promise;  with  severity,  in  his  dealings  with  the  in- 
cestuous person;  with  imperiousness  in  his  writings,  ab- 
jectness  in  his  person,  and  some  small  tincture  of  irreligion 
in  overthrowing  the  Mosaic  law  (all  which  he  understood 
from  Titus)  he  thought  it  necessary  to  write  a  second 
epistle  to  the  Corinthians.  In  this  epistle  u  he  excuses  his 
not  going  directly  to  Corinth,  for  fear  of  occasioning  them 
sorrow,  and  giving  himself  uneasiness,  in  being  obliged 
to  treat  with  severity  those  who  had  not  yet  amended 
their  faults.  He  commends  their  zeal  against  the  incestu- 
ous person,  but  now  that  lie  had  suffered  enough  for  his 
transgression,  allowed  them  to  be  reconciled  to  him.  He 
justifies  his  own  conduct,  vindicates  the  dignity  and  min- 
istry of  the  Gospel,  and  proves  its  great  excellence  above, 
the  law.  He  declaims  agaiust  those  false  teachers,  who 
made  it  their  business  to  traduce  and  vilify  him,  and 
threatens  them  with  his  apostolic  authority  whenever  he 
shall  arrive  among  them.  He  then  speaks  of  himself  with 
some  advantage,  and,  though  he  mentions  his  supernatur- 
al gifts  and  revelations,  yet  seems  to  glory  most  in  his 
extraordinary  laborings  and  sufferings  for  the  Gospel. 
And,  lastly,  he  exhorts  them  all  to  the  works  of  penance 
and  mortification,  lest,  when  he  arrived  thither,  he  should 
be  obliged  to  exert  his  authority  against  offenders ;  and 
particularly  cautions  them  to  have  their  alms  in  readiness, 
that  they  may  not  be  an  hindrance  to  him  when  he  shall 
arrive  at  Corinth." 

After  Paul  had  travelled  through  the  principal  places 
in  Macedonia  and  Achaia,  confirming  those  who  had 
been  converted,  and  bringing  over  others  to  the  faith,  he 
proceeded  to  Corinth,  where  he  took  up  his  residence  for 
the  space  of  three  months.  During  his  abode  hero  he 
wrote  his  famous  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  which  he  sent 


1/2  PROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

by  Pbebe,  a  deaconess  of  the  church  of  Ccncbrea,  near 
Corinth.  In  this  Epistle  "  lie  states  and  determines  the 
great  controversy  between  the  Jews  and  the  Gentiles,  rela- 
tive to  the  obligation  of  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the 
Mosaic  law,  and  those  main  and  material  doctrines  of 
Christianity  which  depend  on  it,  such  as  that  of  Christian 
liberty,  the  use  of  different  tilings,  &c.  He  also  points 
out  the  effects  of  original  sin,  and  the  power  it  has  even 
among  the  regenerate;  and,  through  the  whole  of  the 
Epistle,  intermixes  many  admirable  instructions  and  ex- 
hortations to  the  duties  of  an  holy  and  religious  life,  such 
as  the  Christian  doctrine  doth  naturally  tend  to  produce." 
Paul,  having  gathered  considerable  alms  both  in  Mace- 
donia and  Achaia,  resolved  to  leave  Corinth,  in  order  to 
carry  them  into  Judea  for  the  relief  of  the  Christians  in 
those  parts.  His  first  intention  was  to  go  through  Syria, 
as  being  by  far  the  nearest  way ;  but  having  received  infor- 
mation that  the  Jews  of  that  country  had  formed  a  con- 
spiracy against  his  life,  he  altered  his  course,  and  deter- 
mined to  go  through  Macedonia.  Accordingly,  leaving 
Corinth,  he  proceeded  to  Philippi,  where  he  stayed  some 
time,  in  order  to  celebrate  the  Feast  of  the  Passover. 
From  hence  he  took  shipping,  and,  in  five  days,  landed 
at  Troas,  where  he  continued  a  week.  On  the  sabbath, 
which  was  the  last  day  of  his  staying  there,  he  preached 
to  the  Christians  of  the  place,  who  had  assembled  to- 
gether in  order  to  receive  the  sacrament;  and,  as  he  in- 
tended leaving  them  the  next  morning,  he  continued  his 
harangue  till  midnight.  The  length  of  his  discourse,  and 
the  time  of  night,  caused  some  of  his  hearers  to  be  so  fa- 
tigued as  to  fall  asleep.  Among  these  was  a  young  man 
named  Eutychus,  who,  sitting  in  a  higher  window,  so 
forgot  himself,  that  he  fell  from  thence  to  the  ground, 
and  was  taken  up  dead.  This  circumstance  being  made 
known  to  the  apostle,  he  stopped  his  discourse,  and  going 
to  the  young  man,  by  prayers  to  the  throne  of  grace,  re- 
stored him  to  life  and  health. — How  indefatigable  was 
this  great  apostle  in  doing  good !  how  closely  did  he 
tread  in  the  steps  of  his  great  master,  who  went  about 
doing  good/  He  preached  and  wrought  miracles,  wher- 
ever he  went.   Like  a  master-builder*  he  either  laid  a 


TO    ["HE  FL'I.L  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.    17-3 

foundation,  or  raised  the  superstructure.  He  was  instant, 
in  season  and  out  of  season,  and  spared  no  pains  in  r;i- 
demvoring  to  secure  the  eternal  welfare  of  his  fellow- 
neat  ures. 

After  performing  this  miracle,  Paul  resumed  his  dis- 
course, and  having  speut  the  whole  night  in  these  holy 
exercises,  early  the  next  morning  he  took  his  leave,  and 
travelled  on  loot  to  Assos,'*"  whither  he  had  before  sent 
liis  companions  (anions;  whom  was  Luke)  by  sea.  From 
Assos  they  sailed  to  Mitylene;f  then  passing  by  Chios,! 
arrived  at  Samos,§  and  proceeded  to  Trogyllium,||  from 

*  Assos  is  a  sea-port  town,  situate  on  the  south-west  part  of  the 
province  of  Troas,  and  over-against  the  island  Lesbos.  By  laud,  it 
is  a  great  deal  nearer  Troas,  than  it  is  by  sea,  because  of  a  promon- 
tory that  runs  a  great  way  into  the  ocean,  and  must  be  doubled  be- 
fore we  can  come  to  Assos,  which  was  the  reason  that  the  apostle 
chose  rather  to  walk  it. 

t  Mitylene  was  one  of  the  principal  cities  of  the  isle  of  Lesbos, 
seated  in  a  peninsula,  with  a  commodious  haven  on  each  side,  and 
soon  became  so  considerable,  as  to  give  name  to  the  whole  island  (at 
present  called  Metelin)  many  years  ago.  The  island  (which  is  one 
of  the  largest  in  the  Archipelago)  was,  in  former  times,  renowned 
for  the  mauy  eminent  persons  it  had  produced;  such  as  Sappho,  the 
iinentress  of  Sapphic  verses;  Alcteus,  a  famous  Lyric  poet;  Pitta- 
cus,  one  of  the  seven  wise  men  of  Greece;  Theophrastus,  the  noble 
physician  and  philosopher;  and  Arion,  the  celebrated  musician ;  and 
the  Turks,  who  have  it  now  in  possession,  think  it  still  a  place  of 
consequence  enough  to  deserve  a  fortress  and  garrison  to  defend  it. 

$  Chios  is  an  island  in  the  Archipelago,  next  to  Lesbos,  or  Mete- 
lin, both  in  its  situation  and  bigness.  It  lies  over-against  Smyrna, 
and  is  not  above  four  leagues  distant  from  the  Asiatic  continent.  It 
is  celebrated  by  Horace  and  Martial,  for  the  wine  and  figs  that  came 
from  thenee  ;  but,  at  present,  its  renown  is,  that  it  produces  the  most 
excellent  mastic  in  the  world,  wherein  the  people  pay  their  tribute 
to  the  Grand  Seignior.  Nor  is  it  less  remarkable  for  what  Sir  Paul 
Hicaut,  in  his  Present  State  of  the  Greek  Church)  tells  us  of  it,  viz. 
that  there  is  no  place  in  the  Turkish  dominions,  where  Christians 
enjoy  more  freedom  in  their  religion  and  estates  than  in  this  isle, 
to  which  they  are  entitled  by  an  ancient  capitulation  made  with 
Sultan  Mahomet  II.  which,  to  this  day.  is  maintained  so  faithfully, 
that  no  Turk  can  strike  or  abuse  a  Christian,  without  severe  cor 
rection. 

§  Samos  is  another  isle  in  the  Archipelago,  lying  south-east  of 
Chios,  and  about  five  miles  from  the  Asiatic  continent.  It  is  famous 
among  the  heathen  writers  fur  the  worship  of  Juno;  for  one  of  ihe 
sybils  called  Sybilla  Sauiia;  for  Pherecvdes,  who  foretold  an  earth- 


17*i  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

whence,  after  staying  one  day,  they  went  to  Miletus,*  not 
putting  in  at  Ephesus,  because  the  apostle  was  resolved, 
if  possible,  to  be  at  Jerusalem  at  the  Feast  of  Pentecost. 

Soon  after  Paul  arrived  at  Miletus  he  sent  to  Ephesus, 
to  assemble  together  the  pastors  and  elders  of  the 
ehurches  in  that  city.  On  their  arrival,  he  delivered 
to  them  a  very  long  and  pathetic  discourse,  wherein  he 
reminded  them  with  what  uprightness  and  integrity,  with 
what  affection  and  humility,  and,  with  what  great  dan- 
ger and  trouble,  he  had  been  conversant  among  them, 
and  preached  the  Gospel  to  them,  ever  since  his  coming 
into  those  parts :  that  he  had  not  failed  to  acquaint  them 
both  publicly  and  privately,  with  whatsoever  might  be 
profitable  to  their  souls,  urging  both  Jews  and  Gentiles 
to  repentance  and  reformation,  and  an  hearty  reception  of 
the  faith  of  Christ:  That  now  he  was  determined  to  go  to 
Jerusalem,  where  he  did  not  know  what  particular  suffer- 
ings would  befal  him,  only  that  he  had  been  foretold  by 
those,  who  were  endued  with  prophetic  gifts  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  that,  in  every  city,  bonds  and  afflictions  would 
attend  him;  but  that  he  was  not  concerned  at  this,  being 

quake  that  happened  there  by  drinking  of  the  waters ;  and  more  es- 
pecially, for  the  birth  of  Pythagoras,  who  excelled  all  the  seven  wise 
men,  so  renowned  among  the  Greeks.  It  was  formerly  a  free  common- 
wealth, and  the  inhabitants  were  so  powerful,  that  they  managed 
many  prosperous  wars  against  their  neighbors;  but,  at  present,  the 
Turks  have  reduced  it  to  such  a  mean  and  depopulated  condition,  that 
a  few  pirates  dare  land  and  plunder  as  they  please;  so  that  ever  since 
the  year  1676,  no  Turk  has  ever  ventured  to  live  upon  it  for  fear  of 
being  carried  into  captivity  by  those  rovers. 

II  Trogyllium  is  a  cape,  or  promontory,  on  the  Asiatic  eoast,  op- 
posite to  Santos,  and  much  below  Ephesus,  having  a  town  of  the 
same  name. 

*  Miletus  was  a  port  town  on  the  continent  of  Asia  Minor,  and 
in  the  province  of  Caria,  memorable  for  being  the  birth-place  of 
Thales,  one  of  the  seven  wise  men  in  Greece,  and  father  of  the 
Tonic  philosopher;  of  Anaximenes,  his  scholar;  Timotheus  the 
musician,  and  Anaximenius  the  philosopher.  At  present  it  is  called 
by  the  Turks,  Melas;  and  not  far  distant  from  it  is  the  true  meander, 
which,  though  it  cneircles  all  the  plain  it  runs  through  with  many 
pleasing  mazes  and  innumerable  windings,  yet,  in  some  places,  it 
goes  with  such  a  current,  as  stirs  up  the  earth  and  gravel  from  the 
bottom,  which  makes  its  water  not  so  clear  and  crystalliue,  as  might 
lie  expected. 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     175 

willing  to  lay  down  his  life  whenever  the  Gospel  required 
it,  and  fully  determined  to  serve,  with  the  strictest  fideli- 
ty, his  great  Lord  and  Master.  Here  he  made  a  short 
pause,  and  then  resumed  his  discourse  in  words  to  this 
effect :  "  I  well  know  that  you  will  see  my  face  no  more: 
a  but  for  my  encouragement  and  satisfaction,  ye  your- 
•'•'  selves  can  boar  me  witness,  that  1  have  not,  by  con- 
u  cealing  any  part  of  the  Christian  doctrine,  betrayed 
'•  your  souls.  And  as  for  yourselves,  whom  God  hath 
(i  made  bishops  and  pastors  of  his  church,  you  should  be 
"'  careful  to  feed,  guide  and  direct  those  Christians  under 
*•  your  inspection,  and  be  infinitely  tender  of  the  welfare 
u  of  souls,  for  whose  redemption  the  Blessed  Jesus  laid 
((  down  his  own  life.  All  the  care,  therefore,  possible  for 
"  you  to  use  is  no  more  than  necessary ;  for,  after  my  de- 
u  parture,  heretical  teachers  will  appear  in  the  church,  to 
"  the  great  danger  of  the  souls  of  men,  seeking,  by 
u  every  crafty  method,  and  pernicious  doctrine,  to  gain 
"  proselytes  to  their  party,  and,  by  those  means,  fill  the 
"  church  of  Christ  with  schisms  and  factions.  Watch  ye, 
u  therefore,  and  remember  with  what  tears  and  sorrow  I 
a  have,  during  three  years,  warned  you  of  these  things. 
"  And  now  I  recommend  you  to  the  Divine  favor  and 
a  protection,  and  to  the  rules  and  instructions  of  the 
"  Gospel,  which,  if  properly  adhered  to,  will  undoubtedly 
"  dispose  and  perfect  you  for  that  state  of  happiness 
"  which  the.  Almighty  hath  prepared  for  good  men  in  the 
•''  mansions  of  eternity.  Ye  well  know  that  I  have,  from 
"  the  beginning,  dealt  faithfully  and  uprightly  with  you ; 
•f  that  I  have  not  had  any  covetous  designs,  or  ever 
"  desired  the  riches  of  other  men ;  nay,  I  have  labored 
u  with  mine  own  hands,  to  support  myself  and  my  com- 
"  panions :  you  ought  therefore  to  support  the  weak,  and 
"  relieve  the  poor,  rather  than  be  yourselves  chargeable  to 
u  others,  according  to  that  incomparable  saying  of  the 
"  great  Redeemer  of  mankind,  It  is  move  blessed  to  give, 
"  than  to  veceive.7' — If  we  minutely  attend  to  the  whole 
of  this  apostle's  preaching  and  writing,  we  shall  find  that 
he  strenuously  inculcates  not  only  points  of  faith,  but  also 
practical  duties,  without  which  our  faith  would  be  in 
vain. 


1/6  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

After  Paul  had  finished  his  farewel  discourse  to  the 
bishops  and  pastors  of  Ephesus,  he  knelt  down,  and,  by 
way  of  a  final  conclusion,  joined  with  them  fervently  in 
prayer;  which  being  over  they  all  melted  into  tears,  and, 
with  the  greatest  expression  of  sorrow,  attended  him  to 
the  ship,  grieving,  in  the  most  passionate  manner,  on  ac- 
count of  his  having  told  them  that  they  should  see  his  face 
no  more. 

After  Paul  had  taken  this  affecting  farewel  of  the 
pastors  and  elders  of  Ephesus,  he,  with  his  attendants, 
left  Miletus,  and  going  on  board  a  ship  sailed  with  a  fail- 
wind  to  Coos.*  The  day  after  their  arrival  here,  they 
proceeded  to  Rhodes,!  an^  fr°m  thence  to  Patara,J 
where,  meeting  with  a  ship  bound  for  Phoenicia,  they 
went  on  board,'  and,  passing  Cyprus,  sailed  to  Syria, 
and  landed  at  Tyre,  the  place  where  the  ship  was  to  un- 
lade her  burthen. 

Paul  staid  at  Tyre  seven  days,  in  the  course  of  which 
lie  was  advised  by  some  Christians  of  the  place  not  to  go 
up  to  Jerusalem.  But  this  advice  Paul  would  by  no 
means  take;  upon  which  the  disciples,  accompanied  by 
their  wives  and  children,  attended  him  out  of  the  city, 
and  when  they  came  to  the  sea-shore,  Paul  knelt  down 

*  This  was  an  island  in  the  Archipelago,  lying  near  the  south- 
west point  of  Asia  Minor,  and  having  a  city  of  the  same  name.  It 
was  formerly  celebrated  for  the  birth  of  Hippocrates  the  famous 
physician,  and  Apelles  the  famous  painter;  for  a  stately  temple 
dedicated  to  Apollo,  and  another  to  Juno;  for  the  richness  of  its 
wines,  and  for  the  fineness  of  a  stuff,  made  here,  which  was  perfect- 
ly transparent,  and  called  vestimenta  coa. 

t  Rhodes  lies  south  of  the  province  of  Caria  in  Lesser  Asia;  and, 
among  the  Asiatic  isles,  was  accounted  for  dignity  next  to  Cyprus 
and  Lesbos.  It  was  remarkable  among  the  ancients  for  the  expert- 
ness  of  its  inhabitants  in  the  art  of  navigation;  for  a  college,  in 
which  the  students  were  eminent  for  eloquence  and  mathematics; 
for  the  clearness  of  its  air;  for  its  pleasant  and  healthy  climate, 
which  induced  the  Roman  nobility  to  make  it  a  place  of  their  recess,; 
and  more  especially,  for  its  prodigious  statue  of  brass,  consecrated 
to  Apollo,  or  the  sun,  and  called  his  Colossus.  This  statue  was 
seventy  cubits  high,  and  stood  astride  over  the  mouth  of  the  harbor, 
so  that  the  ships  sailed  between  its  legs. 

\  This  is  a  sea-port  of  Lycia,  formerly  beautified  with  a  good 
harbor,  and  many  temples,  whereof  one  was  dedicated  to  Apollo, 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  C1IUISTI AMTV.     177 

and  prayed  for  thein,  in  the  same  maimer  lie  bad  done 
before  at  Miletus. 

From  Tyre  Paul  and  liis  companions  sailed  to  Ptole- 
maic •  where  they  staid  one  day,  spending  their  time  in 
conversation  with  the  disciples  of  that  place.  The  next 
day  they  went  to  Cesarea,  and  visited  Philip,  one  of  the 
seven  deacons,  who  had  been,  sent  by  the  apostles  to 
preach  the  Gospel  in  Samaria  and  other  places.  This 
Philip  had  four  virgin  daughters,  all  of  whom  were  en- 
dued with  the  gift  of  prophecy;  and  on  this  account,  to- 
gether with  Paul's  great  regard  for  Philip,  he  resided  at 
his  house  during  his  stay  at  Cesarea. 

While  Paul  was  at  Philip's  house,  there  came  thither 
a  prophet,  named  Agabus,  from  Judea.  This  person, 
after  the  manner  of  the  old  prophets  (who  often  prophesied 
by  symbols,  or  significant  expressions)  took  Paul's  girdle, 
and,  binding  it  about  his  own  hands  and  feet,  said,  in  the 
presence  and  hearing  of  the  whole  company,  Thus  saith 
the  Holy  Ghost;  So  shall  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem  bind  the 
man  who  owneth  this  girdle,  and  shall  deliver  him  into 
the  hands  of  the  Gentiles.  On  the  prophet's  saying  these 
words,  not  only  the  companions  of  Paul,  but  likewise 
all  the  Christians  present,  were  greatly  troubled,  and 
earnestly  besought  him  that  he  would  not  go  up  to  Jeru- 
salem. To  which  Paul  replied,  What  mean  ye  to  weep, 
and  to  break  mine  heart?  for  I  am  ready  not  to  be  bound 
only,  but  also  to  die  at  Jerusalem  for  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus. 

AVrheu  the  disciples  found  that  Paul's  resolution  was 
not  to  be  shaken,  they  did  not  importune  him  any  farther; 
in  consequence  of  which,  he  and  his  companions  left 
Cesarea,  and  prosecuting  their  journey  arrived  safe  at 
Jerusalem,  where  they  were  kindly  and  joyfully  received 
by  the  Christians  of  that  city. 

The  day  after  Paul  and  his  companions  arrived  at  Jeru- 
salem, they  went  to  the  house  of  James  the  apostle, 
where  the  rest  of  the  bishops  and  governors  of  the  church 
were  assembled  together.  After  mutual  salutations,  Paul 
gave  them  a  particular  account  of  the  success  with  whiefa 

*  A  sea-port,nt' Syria,  between  Tyre  and  Cesarea. 
vol.  iv.  Z 


178  FROM    THE    ASCENSION    OF    CHRIST, 

God  had  blessed  his  endeavors  in  propagating  Christian- 
ity among  the  Gentiles,  for  which  they  all  joined  in 
glorifying  God.  Having  done  this  they  told  Paul,  that 
he  was  now  come  to  a  place,  in  which  were  many  thou- 
sands of  Jewish  converts,  Who  were  all  zealous  for  the  law 
of  Moses,  and  who  had  been  informed  that  he  taught  the 
Jews  whom  he  converted  to  renounce  circumcision,  and 
the  ceremonies  of  the  law.  That  as  soon  as  the  multitude 
heard  of  his  arrival,  they  would  all  assemble  together  to 
see  how  he  behaved  himself  in  this  matter;  and  therefore, 
to  prevent  any  disturbance,  they  thought  it  advisable  for 
him  to  join  himself  with  four  men  who  were  then  going 
to  discharge  a  vow;  to  perform  the  usual  rites  and  ceremo- 
nies with  them;  to  be  at  the  charge  of  having  their 
heads  shaved ;  and  to  provide  such  sacrifices  as  the  law 
directed ;  whereby  it  would  appear,  that  the  reports  spread 
of  him  were  groundless,  and  that  himself  was  an  observer 
of  the  Mosaic  institutions. 

Paul  readily  agreed  to  follow  the  advice  given  him  by 
his  brethren;  in  consequence  of  which,  taking  with  him 
the  four  persons  who  were  to  discharge  their  vows,  he 
went  into  the  temple,  and  told  the  priests  that,  as  the  time 
of  their  vow  was  now  expired,  and  their  purification  reg- 
ularly performed,  they  were  come  to  make  their  oblation 
according  to  law. 

The  time  of  offering  these  oblations  was  seven  days, 
near  the  close  of  which  certain  Jews  from  Asia  (who 
had  there  been  strong  opposers  to  PauFs  doctrine) 
finding  him  in  the  temple  began  to  raise  a  tumult,  and 
seizing  on  him  called  to  their  brethren  the  Jews  to  assist 
them,  declaring  that  he  was  the  person  who  had  preached 
doctrines  derogatory  to  the  Jewish  nation,  and  destructive 
to  the  institutions  of  the  law  of  Moses.  This  accusation, 
though  absolutely  false,  occasioned  such  an  universal 
disgust  among  the  people  to  Paul,  that  they  immediately 
fell  on  him,  and  dragged  him  out  of  the  temple,  shutting 
the  doors  to  prevent  his  returning  into  that  holy  place. 
After  they  had  got  him  out  of  the  temple  they  treated  him 
with  great  indignity,  and  would  certainly  have  killed 
him,  had  not  Claudius  Lysias,  the  commander  of  the 
Roman  garrison  in  the  castle  of  Antonia,  come,  with  a 


TO  THK  1CLL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.      i79 

« onsiderable  force,  to  his  assistance.    Lysias  conducted 
hiui  to  the  castle,  in  the  way  to  which  Paul  begged  jut 
mission  to  speak  to  him;  but  the  governor  (supposing 

him  to  be  an  Egyptian,  who,  not  many  years  before,  had 
raised  a  sedition  in  Judca,  and  headed  a  party  of  four 
thousand  profligate  wretches)  seemed  to  refuse  him  that 
favor,  until  Paul  informed  him  that  he  was  a  Jew  of 
Tarsus,  and  a  freeman  of  a  rich  and  honorable  city,  and 
therefore  humbly  hoped  that  he  would  not  deny  him  the 
privilege  of  vindicating  himself.  The  governor  consent- 
ing to  this  request,  Paul,  standing  upon  the  stairs  that 
led  into  the  castle,  after  making  signs  for  the  multitude 
to  be  silent,  made  a  speech  to  them  in  the  Hebrew  lan- 
guage, the  substance  of  which  was  to  the  following  effect : 

(t  Listen,  ye  descendants  of  Jacob,  to  a  person  of  your 
own  religion,  and  like  yourselves  a  child  of  Abraham ; 
born  in  Tarsus,  and  brought  up  in  this  city,  at  the  feet  of 
Gamaliel,  and  fully  instructed  in  the  law  delivered  by 
Moses  to  our  forefathers,  and  formerly  as  zealous  for  the 
temple  worship,  as  ye  are  at  present. 

"  Nay,  I  persecuted  unto  death  all  who  believed  in 
Jesus,  seizing  on  all  I  could  find,  both  men  and  women, 
and  casting  them  into  prison. 

"  But  as  I  was  pursuing  my  journey,  to  execute  this 
commission,  and  was  arrived  near  Damascus,  there  ap- 
peared about  mid- day,  a  light  from  heaven,  shining  round 
about  me. 

"  Terrified  at  so  awful  an  appearance,  I  fell  to  the 
ground,  and  heard  a  voice,  saying  unto  me,  Saul.  Saul, 
why  persecutest  thou  me?  To  which  I  answered,  Who 
art  thou,  Lord?  And  the  voice  replied,  I  am  Jesus  of 
*Yazareth  whom  thou  persecutest. 

"  After  recovering  from  the  terror  with  which  my  mind 
was  filled,  I  answered,  What  shall  I  do,  Lord?  And  the 
Lord  said  unto  me,  Arise,  and  go  into  Damascus,  and 
there  it  shall  he  told  thee  of  all  things  which  are  appoint- 
edfor  thee  to  do. 

<k  The  brilliancy  of  the  glory  deprived  me  of  sight;  so 
that  my  companions  led  me  by  the  hand  to  Damascus, 
where  one  Anauias,  a  person  well  respected  by  all  the 
Jews  of  that  city,  visited  me,  and  said,  Brother  Saul,  re- 


180  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

ceive  thy  sight.  And  in  a  moment  my  eyes  were  opened, 
and  I  saw  him  standing  before  me.  When  he  saw  that 
my  sight  was  restored,  he  said  to  me,  The  God  of  Abra- 
ham, Isaac  and  Jacob,  hath  appointed  thee  to  know  his 
will,  to  see  the  great  Messiah,  the  Holy  One  of  God,  and 
hear  the  voice  of  his  mouth ;  for  thou  art  chosen  to  be  a 
witness  to  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  for  those  surprizing 
things  thou  hast  seen  and  heai'd.  Why,  therefore,  tarriest 
thou  here  any  longer?  Arise,  and  be  baptized,  and  wash 
away  thy  sins,  calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

"  After  this  glorious  vision,  and  miraculous  power  of 
the  Most  High,  when  I  was  returned  from  Damascus  to 
Jerusalem,  and  offering  up  my  prayers  in  the  temple,  I 
fell  into  a  trance,  and  again  saw  the  Great  Son  of  David, 
who  said  unto  me,  Depart  quickly  from  Jerusalem ;  for  the 
descendants  of  Jacob  will  refuse  to  believe  thy  testimony 
concerning  me.  And  I  answered,  "  Lord,  they  know  how 
cruelly  I  used  thy  saints  and  followers ;  that  I  imprisoned 
and  beat  them,  in  every  synagogue  whither  I  went.  Nay, 
when  they  shed  the  blood  of  thy  holy  Martyr  Stephen,  I 
was  also  one  of  the  spectators;  I  consented  to  his  death; 
I  even  kept  the  raiment  of  those  that  slew  him."  But  the 
Lord  replied,  Depart;  for  I  will  send  thee  far  hence  unto 
the  Gentiles." 

The  Jews  had  been  very  quiet,  and  paid  great  attention 
to  Paul's  speech  till  he  came  to  this  part  of  it :  his  men- 
tioning the  commission  he  had  received  to  preach  the 
Gospel  to  the  Gentiles,  threw  them  into  the  most  violent 
outrage,  and  they  cried  out,  with  one  voice,  Away  with 
such  a  fellow  from  the  earth:  for  it  is  not  fit  that  he 
should  live.  And,  the  more  to  express  their  indignation, 
they  threw  off  their  clothes,  and  cast  dust  into  the  air,  as 
if  they  intended  that  moment  to  stone  him. 

When  Lysias,  the  captain  of  the  guard,  found  to  what 
a  violent  degree  the  people  were  incensed  against  Paul, 
he  ordered  him  to  be  taken  within  the  castle,  and  that  he 
should  be  examined  by  scourging  till  he  confessed  the 
reason  of  the  uncommon  rage  shewn  against  him  by  the 
people.*    Accordingly,  the  lictor  bound  him,  and  was 

*  As  Lysias  did  not  understand  Hebrew,  he  could  not  tell  what 
the  purport  of  St.  Paul's  speech  to  the  people  was;  but,  by  their  mad 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY,    lfti 

going  to  put  the  orders  he  had  received  into  execution, 
when  Paul  asked  the  centurion  who  stood  by,  whether  or 
not  it  was  lawful  to  scourge  a  citizen  of  Rome,  before  any 
sentence  had  been  passed  upon  him?  JJut  the  centurion, 
instead  of  answering  his  question,  immediately  repaired 
to  Lysias,  beseeching  him  to  be  careful  how  he  proceeded 
against  the  prisoner,  because  he  was  a  Roman.  On  this 
intormation  Lysias  went  immediately  into  the  prison,  and 
asked  Paul  whether  he  was  really  a  free  citizen  of  Home? 
Being  answered  in  the  affirmative,  Lysias  said,  he  had 
himself  procured  that  great  privilege  by  a  large  sum  of 
money;  upon  which  Paul  answered,  But  1  was  free- 
born*  On  receiving  this  account,  Lysias  commanded  the 
centurion  not  to  scourge  him,  being  terrified  at  what  he 
bad  already  done,  namely,  his  causing  to  be  bound  with 
chains  a  free  denizen  of  the  Roman  empire.  The  next 
day  he  ordered  his  chains  to  be  taken  off ;  and  that  he 
might  thoroughly  satisfy  himself  of  the  cause  of  so  un- 
usual a  tumult,  convened  the  members  of  the  Sanhedrim, 
before  whom  he  conducted  Paul,  in  order  to  undergo  an 
examination  by  that  tribunal. 

Paul  was  not  in  the  least  terrified  at  the  sight  of  so  con- 
siderable and  powerful  an  assembly.  Without  waiting 
for  any  questions  being  asked  him,  looking  earnestly  at 
the  council,  he  coolly  said,  Men  and  brethren,  I  have  lived 
in  all  good  conscience  before  God  until  this  day.j   But 

and  outrageous  behavior,  he  guessed  that  he  must  have  said  some- 
thing very  provoking,  either  against  the  law  or  the  dignity  of  their 
nation,  and  therefore  was  willing  to  know  the  trutli  of  it  from  him- 
self. Scourging  was  a  method  of  examination  used  by  the  Romans, 
and  other  nations,  to  force  such  as  were  supposed  guilty  to  confess 
what  they  had  done,  what  were  their  motives,  and  who  were  accessa- 
ries to  the  fact. 

*  It  is  probable  that  Paul's  father  mia;ht  have  been  rewarded 
with  the  freedom  of  the  city  for  his  fidelity  and  bravery  in  some 
military  service,  emoluments  being  then  conferred,  not  on  those  who 
had  most  interest  with  men  in  power,  but  on  those  who  had  most 
merit  from  their  actions. 

t  The  apostle,  by  here  using  the  words  a  good  conscience,  does 
not  mean  a  conscience  void  of  all  error  and  offence,  because  he  owns 
himself  to  have  been  guilty  of  a  great  sin  in  persecuting  the  church 
of  Christ,  i  Tim.  1.  13.  His  meaning  therefore  is,  such  a  conscience 
as  was  consistent  with  the  ideas  he  entertained  at  different  periods 


18&  FROM   THE   ASCENSION   OF   CHRIST, 

however  this  expression  might  tend  to  shew  the  true  state 
of  his  'mind;  Ananias  the  high-priest  was  so  offended  at 
it,  that  he  commanded  those  who  stood  next  him  to  strike 
him  on  the  face;  at  which  Paul  replied,  God  shall  smite 
thee  thou  ivhited  icall.*  On  this,  some  of  the  spectators, 
looking  sternly  at  Paul,  cried  out,  lievilest  thou  God's 
high-priest  P  In  answer  to  this  Paul  told  them,  he  did 
not  know  that  Ananias  was  high-priest,  not  supposing  it 
possible,  that  a  person  who  can  give  such  unjust  orders 
could  be  invested  with  so  sacred  a  diameter.  But,  since 
it  was  so,  he  confessed  it  was  very  wrong  to  revile  him, 
God  himself  having  commanded  that  no  man  should  speak 
evil  of  the  rulers  of  the  people. 

Paul,  perceiving  that  the  council  consisted  partly  of 
Sadducees,  and  partly  of  Pharisees  (in  order  to  elude  the 
malice  of  his  enemies)  made  open  declaration  that  he  was 
a  Pharisee,  even  as  his  father  was  before  him,  and  that 
the  great  offence  taken  against  him  was,  his  belief  of 
a  future  resurrection.    This  declaration  threw  the  whole 

of  his  life,  namely,  before  and  after  his  conversion.  The  sense, 
therefore,  of  this  passage  may  be  thus  explained:  "  While  I  was 
"  persuaded  that  the  Christian  religion  was  false,  I  persecuted  it 
"  with  the  utmost  vigor;  but,  as  soon  as  I  came  to  perceive  its  Di- 
"  vine  institution,  I  declared  for  it,  and  have  ever  since  maintained 
"  it,  even  to  the  hazard  of  my  life.  The  religion  of  the  Jews  I  did 
"  not  forsake  out  of  any  hardships  that  it  required,  or  any  prejudice 
"  I  had  conceived  against  its  precepts;  nor  did  I  embrace  that  of  the 
"  Christians  upon  any  other  account,  than  a  full  conviction  of  its 
u  truth  and  veracity.  I  was  a  good  Jew,  in  short,  as  long  as  I 
"  thought  it  my  duty  to  be  so;  and,  when  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  be 
"  otherwise,  I  became  a  zealous  Christian;  in  all  which  God  knows 
"  the  sincerity  of  my  heart,  and  is  witness  of  my  uprightness." 

*  A  ivhited  wall  was  a  proverbial  expression,  denoting  an  hypo- 
crite of  any  kind,  and  the  propriety  of  it  appears  in  this — That  as 
the  wall  had  a  fair  outside,  but  nothing  but  dirt  or  sticks,  and  stones 
within,  so  the  high-priest  had  the  outward  appearance  of  a  righteous 
judge,  sitting  as  one  that  would  pass  sentence  according  to  law, 
and  yet  commanding  him  to  be  punished  for  speaking  the  truth,  and 
so  condemning  the  innocent,  contrary  to  the  law  of  nature,  as  well 
as  that  of  Moses.  Our  Blessed  Saviour  makes  use  of  a  comparison 
•»f  the  same  nature,  when  he  calls  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  ivhited 
sepulchres.  It  should  be  observed,  in  vindication  of  St.  Paul,  that 
his  words,  God  shall  smite  thee,  are  a  prediction,  not  an  imprecation ; 
and  a  prediction  which  Josephns  tells  us  was  fulfilled  in  a  short 
time;  for  he  was  murdered  in  a  mutiny. 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     183 

court  in  confusion,  by  exciting  the  regard  of  the  Pharisees, 
who  favored  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  and  incurring 
the  resentment  of  the  Sadducees,  who  strongly  opposed 
it. 

The  dissentions  between  these  two  sects,  on  this  occa- 
sion, arose  to  such  a  violent  degree,  that  Lysias,  fearing 
lest  Paul  should  be  torn  in  pieces  between  them,  com- 
manded the  soldiers  to  take  him  from  the  bar,  and  re- 
conduct him  to  the  castle.  This  was  accordingly  done,  and 
to  comfort  him  after  all  his  frights  and  fears,  God  was 
pleased  to  appear  to  him  that  night  in  a  vision,  encourag- 
ing him  to  constancy  and  resolution,  and  assuring  him 
that,  as  he  had  borne  testimony  to  his  cause  at  Jerusalem, 
so,  in  despite  of  all  his  enemies,  he  should  live  to  do  the 
like  at  Rome.  Be  of  good  cheer  Paul:  for  as  thou  hast 
testified  of  me  in  Jerusalem,  so  must  thou  bear  icitness 
also  at  Rome. 

The  next  morning  the  Jews,  whose  envy  and  malice 
were  increased  against  Paul  by  the  dilatory  proceedings 
of  the  Sanhedrim,  determined  to  use  a  quicker  method  of 
putting  a  period  to  his  life.  In  order  to  this  about  forty 
of  the  most  turbulent  among  them  entered  into  a  wicked 
conspiracy,  which  they  ratified  with  an  imprecation  never 
to  eat  or  drink,  until  they  had  killed  Paul.  Having 
formed  this  inhuman  resolution  they  went  to  the  Sanhe- 
drim and  acquainted  them  with  their  design,  to  effect 
which  they  advised,  that  some  of  the  members  should 
solicit  Lysias  to  bring  Paul  again  before  them,  under  pre- 
tence of  enquiring  more  accurately  into  his  case,  and  that, 
before  he  reached  the  court,  they  would  not  fail  to  way- 
lay and  dispatch  him. 

This  wicked  plot  was  readily  approved  of  by  the  San- 
hedrim, but  its  execution  was  happily  frustrated  by  Paul's 
nephew,  who,  having  discovered  their  intentions,  went 
immediately  to  his  uncle,  to  whom  he  related  the  whole 
affair.  Paul  communicated  the  intelligence  to  Lysias, 
who  immediately  commanded  two  parties  of  foot,  and  one. 
of  horse,  to  be  ready  by  nine  o'clock,  in  order  to  conduct 
him  to  Cesarea,  where  Felix,  the  Roman  governor,  then 
resided.  At  the  same  time  Lysias  dispatched  a  letter  to 
Felix,  the  substance  of  which  was,  "  That  the  person 


184  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

"  whom  lie  had  sent  to  him  was  a  freeman  of  Rome ;  that 
"  the  Jews  had  ill  treated  him,  and  conspired  against  his 
ei  life ;  that  the  measures  he  had  taken  were  designed  to 
(i  secure  him  from  the  violence  of  the  multitude;  and  that 
u  he  had  ordered  his  enemies  to  appear  before  him  at 
(i  Cesarea,  that  he  might  judge  what  was  the  cause  of 
"  their  being  so  incensed  against  the  person  whom  he  had 
"  sent  to  him  under  military  protection.7' 

The  guards,  having  received  these  orders  from  Lysias, 
conducted  Paul  the  same  night  to  Antipatris,*  and  the 
next  morning  to  Cesarea.  On  their  arrival  there,  they  im- 
mediately gave  Lysias's  letter  to  Felix,  who,  after  having 
read  the  contents,  asked  Paul  some  questions  relative  to 
the  place  of  his  birth,  and  the  manner  of  his  life.  Finding, 
by  his  answers,  that  Paul  was  a  native  of  Cilicia,  Felix 
told  him,  that  as  soon  as  his  accusers  came  thither  from 
Jerusalem,  he  would  give  him  a  fair  and  candid  hearing ; 
and,  in  the  mean  time,  gave  orders  that  he  should  be  se- 
cured in  that  part  of  his  palace  called  Herod's  Hall,f 
where  he  should  be  supplied  with  every  article  that  was 
necessary  during  his  confinement. 

*  Antipatris  was  a  city  on  the  borders  of  Samaria,  near  the  Me- 
diterranean Sea;  and  situated  about  thirty-eight  miles  from  Jeru- 
salem. 

t  This  was  a  magnificent  palace  built  by  Herod  the  Great  for  his 
own  habitation  whenever  lie  went  to  Cesarea:  and  was  afterwards 
used  by  the  Roman  governors  for  the  place  of  their  residence,  and 
for  the  confinement  of  some  particular  persons. 


ro  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     185 


CHAP.   AT. 

raul  is  taken  before  Felix,  and  acquits  himself  of  the  accusa- 
tion laid  against  him  by  Tertullus,  one  of  his  principal  ene- 
mies. Felix  is  terrified  al  the  force  of  his  arguments,  rani 
is  taken  before  Festus~(lhc  successor  of  Felix  J  and  after 
answering  the  accusation  laid  against  him  by  the  Jews, 
makes  an  appeal  unto  Cwsar.  He  boldly  defends  himself,  and 
the  Christian  cause,  before  Festus  and  king  tUgrippa.  Is 
sent  to  Rome  by  sea,  in  the  way  to  which  he  is  shipwrecked, 
and  cast  upon  Hie  island  of  Melitus,  -where  he  petforms 
several  astonishing  miracles.  He  is  conducted  from  thence  lo 
Home,  where  he  is  received  with  the  most  distinguished 
respect  by  the  Christians  in  that  city.  He  confers  with  the 
chief  of  the  Jew's,  to  -whom  he  preaches  the  doctrine  of  the 
Gospel  with  different  success.  Writes  an  Epistle  to  Phile- 
mon, a  person  of  distinction  at  Colosse.  Sends  Epistles  to 
the  Fhilippian8,  Ephesians  and  Colossians.  The  Epistle  of 
James  to  the  dispersed  Tribes,  with  an  account  of  the  suf- 
ferings and  martyrdom  of  that  apostle. 

AFTER  Paul  had  been  confined  five  days  at  Cesa- 
rea,  by  order  of  Felix,  there  came  thither  Ananias  the 
high-priest,  and  several  other  members  of  the  Sanhedrim, 
together  with  Tertullus,  a  man  of  great  elocution,  and  an 
inveterate  enemy  to  Paul.  Being  all  assembled  before 
Felix,  Tertullus  made  a  long  speech,  in  which  he  made 
use  of  all  the  insinuating  arts  that  could  arise  from  human 
invention  to  prepossess  the  Governor  in  his  own  favor; 
having  done  which  he  accused  Paul  "  of  being  a  seditious 
person,  and  a  disturber  of  the  public  peace;  who  had  set 
himself  at  the  head  of  the  sect  of  Nazarenes,  and  made 
no  manner  of  scruple  to  profane  even  the  temple  itself." 
This  accusation  was  altogether  false,  notwithstanding 
which  it  was  confirmed  by  all  the  members  of  the  San- 
hedrim, who  had  come  from  Jerusalem  on  this  occasion. 

Tertullus  having  finished  his  accusation  against  Paul, 
Felix  told  him  that  he  was  now  at  liberty  to  make  his 
defence;  upon  which  Paul  addressed  himself  to  the  court 
in  words  to  this  effect  : 

vol.  iv.         A      a 


1 S6  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

"  1  answer  this  charge  of  the  Jews  with  the  greater 
satisfaction  before  thee,  because  thou  hast  for  many  years 
been  a  judge  of  this  nation.  About  twelve  days  since,  I 
repaired  to  Jerusalem,  to  worship  the  God  of  Jacob.  But 
I  neither  disputed  with  any  man,  or  endeavored  to  stir 
the  people  in  the  synagogues  or  the  city.  Nor  can  they 
prove  the  charge  they  have  brought  against  me. 

a  This,  however,  I  readily  confess,  that  after  the  icaij 
which  they  call  heresy,  so  worship  I  the  God  of  my 
fathers,  and  according  to  this  faith,  I  am  careful  to  main- 
tain a  clear  and  quiet  conscience,  both  towards  God  and 
man. 

"  After  I  had  spent  some  years  in  distant  countries,  I 
repaired  to  Jerusalem,  with  the  alms  I  had  collected  in 
other  provinces,  for  the  poor  of  mine  own  nation,  and  of- 
ferings to  the  God  of  Jacob.  And  while  I  was  perform- 
ing the  duties  of  religion,  certain  Asiatic  Jews  found  me 
in  the  temple,  purified  according  to  the  law;  but  neither 
attended  with  a  multitude  of  followers,  or  the  least  tu- 
multuous assembly.  It  was  therefore  necessary  that  these 
Jews  should  have  been  here,  if  they  had  any  thing  to 
alledge  against  me.  Nay,  I  appeal  to  those  of  the  San- 
hedrim here  present,  if  any  thing  has  been  laid  to  my 
charge,  except  the  objections  of  the  Sadducees,  who  vio- 
lently opposed  me  for  asserting  the  doctrine  of  the  resur- 
rection." 

Felix,  having  thus  heard  both  parties,  refused  to  make 
any  final  determination  till  he  had  more  fully  advised 
about  it,  and  consulted  Lysias,  the  governor  of  the  castle, 
who  was  the  most  proper  person  to  give  an  account  of 
the  cause  of  the  controversy.  In  the  mean  time  Felix 
gave  orders  that,  though  Paul  should  be  kept  under  a 
guard,  yet  his  confinement  should  be  so  free  and  easy, 
that  none  of  his  friends  should  be  hindred  from  visiting, 
or  doing  him  any  offices  of  kindness. 

A  few  days  after  this  Felix,  being  desirous  that  his 
wife  Drusilla  (who  had  been  a  Jewess)  should  hear  Paul, 
he  ordered  him  to  be  brought  before  them,  and  gave  him 
permission  to  speak  freely  concerning  the  doctrines  of 
Christianity.  In  his  discourse  he  particularly  pointed  out 
the  great  obligation  which  the  laws  of  Christ  laid  on 


10  THE  II  II,  ESTABLISHMENT  OP  CHRISTIANITY.    187 

mankind  to  preserve  justice  and  righteousness,  sobriety 
and  chastity,  both  towards  themselves  and  others,  more 
•specially  from  this  consideration,  viz.  the  strict  and  im- 
partial account  that  must  be  given,  in  the  day  of  judg- 
ment, of  all  the  actions  of  their  past  lives,  and  the  conse 
quencos  that  would  inevitably  follow,  either  to  be  re- 
Warded  or  eternally  punished. 

This  discourse  had  such  an  effect  on  Felix,  that  he 
could  not  help  trembling  as  lie  sat  on  his  throne;  and,  as 
soon  as  he  had  a  little  recovered  his  spirits,  lie  abruptly 
interrupted  Paul,  by  saying.  Go  thy  way  for  this  time  ; 
when  I  have  a  convenient  season,  I  will  call  for  thee. 

Felix,  no  doubt,  had  sufficient  reason  to  tremble,  and 
his  conscience  to  be  sensibly  alarmed  at  Paul's  discourse; 
for  he  was  a  man  notoriously  infamous  for  rapine  and 
violence.  He  made  his  own  will  the  law  of  his  govern- 
ment, practising  all  manner  of  cruelty  and  injustice.  To 
these  bad  qualities  he  added  bribery  and  covetousness ; 
and  therefore  often  sent  for  Paul  to  discourse  with  him, 
expecting  he  would  have  given  him  a  considerable  sum 
for  his  release,  having,  in  all  probability,  heard  that  Paul 
had  taken  with  him  a  large  quantity  of  money  to  Jerusa- 
lem. But  finding  that  no  offers  were  made  him,  either 
by  the  apostle  or  his  friends,  he  kept  him  prisoner  two 
years;  when  himself  being  discharged  from  his  office  by 
Nero,  he  left  Paul  in  prison,  in  order  to  gratify  the  malice 
of  the  Jews,*  and  engage  them  to  speak  the  better  of 
him,  after  his  departure  from  Judea. 

On  the  deposition  of  Felix  the  government  of  Judea 
was  invested  in  Portius  Festus,  who,  after  staying  three 
days  at  Cesarea,  -went  to  Jerusalem.    On   his    arrival 

*  Felix  hail  greatly  exasperated  the  Jews  by  his  unjust  ami  vio- 
lent proceedings  while  he  continued  in  the  government:  and,  there- 
fore, upon  his  dismission,  he  thought  to  have  pacified  them,  in  some 
measure,  by  leaving  Paul  (whom  he  might  have  discharged  long 
before)  still  in  custody,  and  consequently  still  liable  to  become  a 
prey  to  their  greedy  malice.  But  herein  he  found  himself  greatly 
mistaken  ;  for  no  sooner  was  he  removed  from  his  office,  than  several 
of  the  principal  Jews  of  Cesarea  sook  a  journey  to  Rome  on  purpose 
to  accuse  him,  and  would  certainly  have  wrought  his  ruin,  had  not 
his  brother  Pallas  (who  was  iu  very  distinguished  favor  with  Nero) 
interceded  for  his  pardon, 


188  FROM    THE    ASCENSION    OE    CHRIST, 

thither,  the  high-priest,  and  other  members  of  the  Sanhe- 
drim, exhibited  fresh  accusations  against  Paul,  and,  in 
order  to  his  trial,  desired  that  he  might  be  sent  for  up  to 
Jerusalem,  intending  to  have  him  assassinated  in  the 
way.  But  Festus,  being  unwilling  to  grant  their  request, 
told  them,  that  he  was  shortly  going  himself  to  Cesarea, 
and  that  if  they  had  any  complaint  against  Paul,  they 
must  come  thither  and  accuse  him,  when  he  would  not 
fail  to  do  them  justice. 

In  consequence  of  this  the  Jews  followed  Festus  to 
Cesarea,  and  when  he  was  seated  on  his  throne,  they  re- 
newed their  charge,  and  produced  their  articles  against 
Paul,  which  were  much  the  same  as  what  they  had  ac- 
cused him  of  before  Felix.  But  Paul  defended  himself 
so  well,  by  making  it  appear  that  he  had  neither  offended 
against  the  Jewish  laws,  nor  against  the  temple,  nor 
against  the  emperor,  that  their  charge,  for  want  of  suf- 
ficient proof,  fell  to  the  ground.  Festus,  however,  being 
willing  to  procure  the  favor  of  the  Jews  at  his  entrance 
on  the  government,  asked  Paul  if  he  would  go  and  be 
tried  before  him  at  Jerusalem?  But  the  apostle,  well 
knowing  the  malice  of  his  enemies,  and  being  unwilling 
to  trust  himself  in  their  power,  boldly  declared,  "  as  he 
then  stood  at  the  emperor's  judgment-seat,  when  he 
ought  to  have  a  final  trial,  if  he  had  done  any  thing  wor- 
thy of  death,  he  did  not  wish  to  avoid  punishment;  but 
that,  as  he  had  not  injured  any  of  the  Jews,  and  they 
could  not  prove  any  thing  against  him,  he  ought  not  to 
be  made  a  victim  to  their  fury ;  and  therefore,  as  he  was 
a  Roman,  he  appealed  to  the  emperor  himself.'"*  Festus, 
finding  Paul  resolute  in  maintaining  his  privilege,  con- 
ferred for  some  time  with  his  council,  and  then,  with 
some  seeming  emotion,  told  him  that,  since  he  had  ap- 
jiealed  unto  Ccesar,  unto  Ctesar  he  should  go. 

*  This  manner  of  appealing  was  very  common  among  the  Ro- 
mans, and  introduced  to  secure  the  lives  and  fortunes  of  the  people 
from  the  unjust  encroachments  and  over-rigorous  severities  of  ihc 
magistrates.  Paul  weli  knew  he  should  not  have  fair  and  equitable 
dealings  from  the  governor,  when  swayed  by  the  Jews,  his  sworn 
and  inveterate  enemies,  and,  therefore,  appealed  from  him.  to  the 
emperor;  nor  could  Festus  douy  his  demand. 


TO  THE  FIH.L  ESTABLISHMENT^  OP  CHRIS  I  l.vMTV.     189 

A  few  days  after  this  king  Agrippa  (who  succeeded 
Herod  in  (he  tetrarchate  of  Galilee)  with  his  sister  Ber 
nice,  went  to  Cesarea,  in  order  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  new 
governor.   Festus  took  this  opportunity  of  mentioning 

Paul's  case  to  Agrippa,  with  the  remarkable  tumult,  that 
had  been  occasioned  by  him  among  the  Jews,  and  the  ap- 
peal lie  had  made  to  Cesar;  the  whole  of  which  he  related 
in  words  to  this  effect:  #  That  Felix,  upon  his  parting 
••  with  the  government  of  .1  mica,  had  left  a  certain  pris- 
••  oner,  against  whom  some  of  the  chief  of  the  Jews  had 
'•  brought  an  information,  and  immediately  demanded 
"judgment,  which,  according  to  the  Roman  law,  could 
"  not  be  done  without  first  hearing  the  case,  and  bringing 
u  the  parties  together.  That  to  this  purpose  he  had  or- 
*•  dered  his  accusers  to  come  to  Cesarea,  but,  upon  the 
"  result,  found  that  the  dispute  between  them  was  about 
''  matters  of  religion,  and  whether  a  person,  called  Jesus, 
"  was  really  dead  or  alive.  That,  being  himself  unac- 
"  qoaioted  with  such  kind  of  controversies,  he  had  re- 
66  ferred  the  prisoner  to  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim,  but  that 
*'•'  he,  declining  their  judgment,  had  appealed  to  Caesar: 
"  and  that  therefore  he  kept  him  still  in  prison,  until  he 
u  could  meet  with  a  convenient  opportunity  to  send  him 
"  to  Home." 

This  account  given  of  Paul  by  Festus  greatly  excited 
the  curiosity  of  king  Agrippa.  who  intimated  his  desire 
of  hearing  himself  what  Paul  had  to  say  in  his  own  de- 
fence. Accordingly  the  next  day  the  king  and  his  sister, 
accompanied  by  Festus  the  governor,  and  several  other 
persons  of  distinction,  went  into  the  court  with  a  pompous 
and  splendid  retinue,  where  the  prisoner  was  brought 
before  them.  As  soon  as  Paul  appeared,  Festus  informed 
the  court  "  how  greatly  he  had  been  importuned  by  the 
"  Jews,  both  at  Cesarea  and  Jerusalem,  to  put  the  pris- 
{i  oner  to  death  ds  a  malefactor:  but  having,  on  examina- 
"  tion,  found  him  guilty  of  no  capital  crime,  and  the 
••  prisoner  himself  having  appealed  unto  Caesar,  lie  was 
"  determined  to  send  him  to  Home.  That  be  was  will- 
"  ing,  however,  to  have  his  cause  again  discussed  before 
"  so  judicious  a  person  as  Agrippa.  that  lie  might  be 
*•  furnished  with  some  material  particulars  to  send  with 


190  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST; 

t:  hiin;  as  it  would  be  highly  absurd  to  send  a  prisoner 
"  without  signifying  the  crimes  alledged  against  him." 

Festus  having  finished  his  speech,  king  Agrippa  told 
Paul  he  was  at  full  liberty  to  make  his  own  defence; 
upon  which,  after  silence  being  called,  Paul,  chiefly  ad- 
dressing himself  to  Agrippa,  spoke  to  this  effect: 

u  I  consider  it  as  a  peculiar  happiness,  king  Agrippa, 
li  that  I  am  to  make  my  defence  against  the  accusations 
"  of  the  Jews,  before  thee;  because  thou  art  well  ac- 
"  quainted  with  their  customs,  and  the  questions  com- 
t(  moniy  debated  amoug  them:  I  therefore  beseech  thee 
"  to  hear  nit  patiently.  All  the  Jews  are  well  acquainted 
"  with  my  maimer  of  life,  from  my  youth,  the  greatest 
(i  part  of  it  having  been  spent  with  mine  own  countrymen 
u  at  Jerusalem.  They  also  know  that  I  was  educated 
"  under  the  institutions  of  the  Pharisees,  the  strictest  sect 
"  of  our  religion,  and  am  now  arraigned  for  a  tenet  be- 
"  lieved  by  all  their  fathers ;  a  tenet  sufficiently  credible 
"  in  itself  and  plainly  revealed  in  the  scriptures,  I  mean 
¥  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  Why  should  any  mortal 
"  think  it  either  incredible  or  impossible,  that  God  should 
"  raise  the  dead? 

"  I,  indeed,  thought  myself  indispensably  obliged  to 
"  oppose  the  religion  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  Nor  was  I 
"  satisfied  with  imprisoning  and  punishing  with  death 
Ci  itself,  the  saints  I  found  at  Jerusalem ;  I  even  perse- 
"  cuted  them  in  strange  cities,  whither  my  implacable 
*'•  zeal  pursued  them,  having  procured  authority  for  that 
il  purpose  from  the  chief  priests  and  elders. 

u  Accordingly,  I  departed  for  Damascus,  with  a  com- 
*•  mission  from  the  Sanhedrim;  but  as  I  was  travelling 
"  towards  that  city,  I  saw  at  mid-day,  0  king,  a  light 
"  from  heaven,  far  exceeding  the  brightness  of  the  sun, 
*  encompassing  me  and  my  companions.  On  seeing  this 
u  awful  appearance,  we  all  fell  to  the  earth ;  and  I  heard 
il  a  voice,  which  said  to  me,  in  the  Hebrew  language, 
il  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me?  It  is  hard  for  thee 
i(  to  kick  against  the  pricks  ?  To  which  I  answered,  Who 
"  art  thou  Lord?  And  he  replied,  lam  Jesus  whom  thou 
"  persecutest.  But  be  not  terrified,  arise  from  the  earth : 
fi  for  I  have  appeared  unto  thee,  that  thou  mightest  be 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     191 

''  both  a  witness  of  the  things  thou  hast  seen,  and  also  of 
••  others  which  1  will  hereafter  reveal  unto  thee;  ray 
*•  power,  delivering  thee  from  the  Jews  and  Gentiles,  to 
"  whom  now  I  send  thee  to  preach  the  Gospel;  to  with- 
*•  draw  the,  veil  of  darkness  and  ignorance;  to  turn  them 
"•'  from  falsehood  uuto  truth,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan 
'•  unto  God. 

"  Accordingly,  king  Agrippa,  I  readily  obeyed  the 
u  heavenly  vision;  I  preached  the  Gospel  first  to  the  in* 
■'  habitants  of  Damascus,  then  to  those  of  Jerusalem, 
*'  and  Judea,  and  afterwards  to  the  Gentiles;  persuading 
••  them  to  forsake  their  iniquities,  and,  by  sincere  re- 
u  pentance,  turn  to  the  living  God. 

"  These  endeavors  to  save  the  souls  of  sinful  mortals 
'•  exasperated  the  Jews,  who  caught  me  in  the  temple, 
u  and  entered  into  a  conspiracy  to  destroy  me.  But,  by 
"  the  help  of  Omnipotence,  I  still  remain  a  witness  to  all 
u  the  human  race,  preaching  nothing  but  what  Moses  and 
"  all  the  prophets  foretold;  namely,  That  the  Messiah 
a  should  sutler,  be  the  first  that  should  rise  from  the 
u  chambers  of  the  grave,  and  publish  the  glad  tidings  of 
u  salvation,  both  to  the  Jews  and  Gentiles." 

This  discourse  was  conceived  in  such  a  light  by 
Festus,  that  he  thought  Paul  was  delirious,  and  there- 
fore abruptly  told  him,  that  his  too  much  learning  had 
made  him  mad.  The  reply  Paul  made  to  this  was  to  the 
following  purport :  "  I  am  far,  most  noble  Festus,  from 
u  being  transported  with  idle  and  distracted  ideas;  the 
u  words  I  speak  are  dictated  by  truth  and  sobriety ;  and 
u  I  am  persuaded  that  king  Agrippa  himself  is  not 
(( ignorant  of  those  things ;  for  they  were  transacted 
"  openly  before  the  world.  I  am  confident,  king  Agrippa, 
"that  thou  believest  the  prophets;  and  therefore  must 
"  know  that  all  their  predictions  were  fulfilled  in  Christ." 
To  this  Agrippa  answered,  "  Thou  hast  almost  persuad- 
"  ed  me  to  become  a  Christian."  Paul  replied,  "  1  sin- 
u  cerely  wish,  that  not  only  thou,  but  also  all  that  hear 
u  me,  were  not  almost,  but  altogether,  the  same  as  myself, 
"  except  being  prisoners."  Upon  this  the  assembly  broke 
up;  and,  when  Agrippa  and  Festus  had  conferred  to- 
gether about  Paul's  case,  they  freely  owned  that  the 


192  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

accusation  laid  against  him  amounted  neither  to  aeapiial 
oftence,  nor  any  thing  deserving  imprisonment ;  and  that, 
had  he  not  appealed  unto  Caesar,  he  might  have  been 
legally  discharged.* 

It  being  now  finally  determined  that  Paul  should  be 
sent  to  Rome,  he,  and  some  other  prisoners  of  note,  were 
committed  to  the  charge  of  one  Julius,  a  centurion,  or 
captain  of  a  legion  called  Augustus's  Band.  Accordingly 
they  went  on  board  a  ship  of  Adramyttium,t  and  coast- 
ing along  Asia,  arrived  at  Sidon,  where  Julius  (who  all 
along  treated  Paul  with  great  civility)  gave  him  leave  to 
go  ashore,  and  refresh  himself.  From  Sidon  they  set 
sail,  and  came  within  sight  of  Cyprus,  and  having  passed 
over  the  seas  of  Cilicia  and  Pamphylia,  landed  at  Myra, 
a  port  in  Lycia,  where  the  ship  finished  its  voyage. 
From  hence  they  embarked  on  board  a  ship  of  Alexan- 
dria bound  for  Italy;  and  having  passed  by  Cnidus;t,  with 
some  difficulty  made  for  Salome,  a  promontory  on  the 
Eastern  shore  of  Crete,  from  whence,  after  many  days 
slow  sailing,  they  arrived  at  a  place  called  the  Fair 
Havens,  on  the  coast  of  the  same  island.  As  the  season 
of  the  year  was  far  advanced,  and  sailing  in  those  seas 
exceeding  dangerous,  Paul  advised  the  centurion  to  put 
in  here,  and  winter.  But  Julius,  preferring  the  judgment 
of  the  master  of  the  ship,  and  the  wind,  at  that  time, 
blowing  gently  at  south,  they  put  again  to  sea,  in 
hopes  of  reaching  Phenice,  another  harbor  of  Crete, 
where  there  was  safe  riding,  and  there  to  winter.  It  was 
not  long,  however,  before  they  found  themselves  disap- 
pointed ;  for  the  calm  southerly  gale,  which  blew  before, 
suddenly  changed  to  a  stormy  and  tempestuous  north- 
east wind,  which  bore  down  all  before  it,  so  that  they 

*  It  was  the  custom  of  the  Romans,  that  after  a  prisoner  had  ap- 
pealed unto  the  emperor,  no  inferior  judge  could  either  condemn  or 
acquit  him. 

t  Adramyttium  was  a  sea-port  in  Mysia,  a  province  of  Asia 
Minor,  lying  opposite  to  the  Isle  of  Lesbos,  and  not  far  from  Troas. 

|  Cnidus  was  a  city  which  stood  on  a  promontory,  or  fore-land  of 
the  same  name,  in  that  part  of  the  province  of  Caria,  which  nas 
more  particularly  called  Doris.  This  city  was  remarkable  for  the 
worship  of  Venus,  and  for  the  celebrated  statue  of  that  goddess 
made  bv  the  famous  artificer  Praxiteles, 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     193 

were  forced  to  let  the  ship  drive;  but,  to  secure  it  from 
splitting,  they  undergfrt  it,  and  to  prevent  its  running 
aground  on  the  shallows,  threw  out  a  great  part  of  its 
lading  and  tackle. 

In  this  wretched  and  dangerous  situation  did  they  con- 
tinue for  the  space  of  fourteen  days,  during  which  they 
neither  saw  sun  or  stars,  so  that  the  whole  company 
(except  Paul)  began  to  give  themselves  up  as  lost.  This 
being  observed  by  the  apostle,  he  addressed  himself  to 
them  in  words  to  this  effect:  "  Had  you  taken  my  advice, 
"  and  staid  at  Crete,  you  would  not  have  been  in  this 
"  danger;  but  take  comfort,  for  we  shall  suffer  no  loss 
"  but  that  of  the  ship.  This  I  can  assure  you  has  been 
"  made  known  to  me  by  a  Divine  messenger,  who,  ap- 
"  pearing  to  me  in  the  night,  said,  Fear  not  Paul,  for 
"  thou  must  lie  brought  before  Caesar,  and  God  hath,  for 
"  thy  sake,  granted  life  and  safety  to  all  them  that  are 
"  with  thee  iu  the  ship.  Wherefore  be  of  good  cheer,  for 
"  I  am  confident  this  vision  will  be  made  good,  coming 
"  from  God,  as  it  certainly  doth.  But  one  passage  more 
"  I  received  in  this  vision,  namely,  that  after  shipwreck 
"  we  shall  be  cast  on  a  certain  island."7 

On  the  fourteenth  night  the  sailors,  thinking  they  were 
near  land,  sounded,  and  found  themselves  in  twenty 
fathoms  water,  soon  after  which  they  were  convinced,  by 
a  secoud  sounding,  that  they  were  near  some  coast.  But 
apprehending  that  they  might  strike  upon  some  shelves 
in  the  dark,  they  thought  proper  to  come  to  an  anchor,  till 
the  morning  might  give  them  better  information.  In  the 
mean  time  the  weather  continuing  exceeding  boisterous, 
they  altered  their  intentions,  and  not  staying  for  day- 
light, attempted  to  save  themselves  by  getting  into  the 
boat.  On  this  Paul  told  Julius,  "  that  though  he  had  said 
no  person  in  the  ship  should  perish,  it  was  upon  condition 
that  they  believed  and  trusted  in  God  for  their  preserva- 
tion: that  therefore  the  seamen  should  continue  in  the 
ship  and  do  their  duty,  and  not  endeavor  to  effect  their 
escape  by  the  boat;  which  if  they  did,  they  would  be  all 
in  danger  of  their  lives."  Upon  this  the  soldiers,  to 
prevent  the  seamen's  design,  cut  the  ropes  that  fastened 

vol.  iv.        B  B 


19*  FllOM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

the  boat,  which  was  soon  driven  away  by  the  impetuosity 
of  the  waves. 

A  little  before  day-break  Paul  advised  all  the  people 
on  board  the  ship  to  take  some  refreshment,  because, 
during  the  time  of  their  danger,  which  had  been  fourteen 
days,  they  had  taken  but  very  little  sustenance;  and,  to 
encourage  them  to  do  this,  he  assured  them  again,  that 
not  a  hair  of  their  heads  should  perish.  Having  said 
this,  Paul  took  bread,  and  gave  thanks  to  God  in  the 
presence  of  them  all;  and  when  he  had  broken  it,  he  began 
to  eat.  Then  were  they  all  of  good  cheer,  and  they  alsv 
took  some  meat. 

In  the  morning  they  discovered  land,  and,  discerning  a 
creek,  which  seemed  to  make  a  kind  of  haven,  they  re- 
solved, if  possible,  to  put  in  there;  but,  in  their  passage, 
unexpectedly  fell  into  a  place  where  two  seas  met,  and 
where  the  fore-part  of  the  ship  striking  upon  a  neck  of 
land  that  ran  out  into  the  sea,  the  hinder  part  was  soon, 
beaten  in  pieces  by  the  violence  of  the  waves.  When  the 
soldiers  saw  what  was  likely  to  be  their  fate,  they  proposed 
putting  all  the  prisoners  to  the  sword,  lest  any  of  them 
should  swim  to  land,  and  make  their  escape;  but  the 
centurion,  who  was  willing  to  save  Paul,  not  approving 
of  this  design,  gave  orders  that  every  one  should  shift  for 
himself;  the  issue  of  which  was,  that,  some  by  swimming, 
others  fastening  to  planks,  and  others  on  pieces  of  the 
broken  ship  (to  the  number  of  S76  persons)  all  got  safe 
on  shore. 

The  country  on  which  they  were  cast  was  (as  Paul 
had   foretold)   an   island   called    Melita,*    now   called 

*  This  island  is  supposed  to  have  received  its  name  from  the 
great  quantity  of  honey  (in  Greek  called  Meli)  which  it  produced. 
It  is  computed  to  be  about  twelve  miles  broad,  and  twenty  long.  It 
lies  distant  from  Sicily  about  sixty  miles.  At  present  it  is  called 
Malta,  and  is  remarkable  on  account  of  its  being  granted  to  the 
knights  of  St.  John,  of  Jerusalem  (formerly  called  the  knights  of 
Rhodes,  but  now  knights  of  Malta)  by  the  emperor  Charles  V.  after 
the  Turks  had  driven  them  out  of  Rhodes,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord,  1530.  These  knights,  according  to  the  institution,  are  in 
number  a  thousand,  of  which  five  hundred  are  to  be  resident  in  tho 
island;  the  other  five  hundred  are  dispersed  through  Christendom 
In  their  several  seminaries,  which  are  iu  France,  Italy  and  Ger» 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     195 

Malta,  situated  on  the  Lybian  Sea,  between  Syracuse 
and  Africa.  The  natives  of  the  place  received  them  with 
great  civility  and  kindness,  made  fires  to  dry  their  wet 
clothes,  and  entertained  them  with  every  necessary  that 
was  requisite  for  their  distressed  situation. 

As  Paul  was  laying  a  few  sticks  upon  the  fire,  a  viper, 
enlivened  by  the  heat,  came  out  of  the  bundle  of  wood 
from  whence  he  had  taken  them,  and  fastened  upon  his 
band.  When  the  natives  saw  this  they  concluded  that  he 
must  certainly  be  some  notorious  murderer,  who,  though 
Providence  had  suffered  to  escape  the  dangers  of  the  sea, 
had  reserved  for  a  more  public  and  solemn  execution. 
l?ut  when  they  saw  him  shake  off  the  venomous  creature 
into  the  fire,  and  no  harm  ensue,  they  changed  their  sen- 
timents, and  cried  out,  that  he  was  a  god.* 

At  a  small  distance  from  that  part  of  the  island  on 
which  Paul  and  his  company  were  shipwrecked  lived 
Publius  the  governor,  who  received  and  entertained  them 
with  great  civility  and  hospitality  for  three  days.  During 
this  time  Paul,  being  informed  that  the  governor's  father 
lay  dangerously  ill  of  a  fever  and  bloody  flux,  in  ac- 
knowledgment for  the  favors  received  from  Publius,  went 
to  his  apartment  and  after  praying  some  time,  layed 
his  hands  upon  him  and  healed  him.  The  news  of  this 
miraculous  cure  was  soon  spread  throughout  the  island, 
in  consequence  of  which  such  as  were  afflicted  with  any 
disease  were  brought  to  Paul,  who  restored  them  to  their 
former  health  and  strength.  This  increased  Paul's  fame, 
and  was  of  considerable  advantage  to  his  companions  and 
fellow-sufferers,  who,  on  his  account,  were  highly  caress- 
ed and  entertained;  and  when  they  left  the  island  they 
received  many  marks  of  esteem  from  the  inhabitants,  who 
furnished  them  with  all  necessaries  proper  for  their 
voyage. 

many;  as  there  was  one  also  in  England,  before  it  was  suppressed 
by  king  Henry  VIII.  They  are  called  knights  hospitallers ;  from 
whom  many  places  that  formerly  belonged  to  them  here  in  England, 
do  still  retain  something  of  their  name,  by  being  called  in  short 
spittals. 

*  Hercules  was  one  of  the  gods  whom  the  people  of  tins  island 
worshipped:  and  to  him  they  ascribed  the  power  of  curing  the  bite 
of  serpents. 


196  FROM  TfeE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

After  staying  three  months  at  Miletus  they  embarked 
on  board  the  Castor  and  Pollux,  a  ship  of  Alexandria 
bound  for  Italy.  On  their  arrival  at  Syracuse,*  they  cast 
anchor,  and  went  on  shore  to  refresh  themselves.  Here 
they  stopped  three  days,  when  they  again  embarked,  and 
sailed  for  Rhegium,f  and  from  thence  to  Puteoli.J  where 
they  landed.  Finding  in  this  place  some  Christians,  at 
their  earnest  solicitation,  they  continued  with  them  a 
week,  and  then  set  forward  on  their  journey  to  Rome. 

*  Tins  was  a  cify  of  Sicily,  seated  on  the  east  side  of  the  island, 
with  a  fine  prospect  from  every  entrance,  both  by  sea  and  land.  Its 
port,  which  had  the  sea  on  both  sides  of  it,  was  almost  all  of  it  en- 
vironed with  beautiful  buildings,  and  all  that  part  of  it,  which  was 
•without  the  cify,  was  on  both  sides  banked  up,  and  sustained  with 
very  fair  walls  of  marble.  The  city  itself,  while  in  its  splendor, 
was  the  largest  and  richest  that,  the  Greeks  possessed  in  any  part  of 
the  world.  For  (according  to  Strabo)  it  was  twenty-two  miles  in 
circumference;  and  both  Livy  and  Plutarch  informs  us,  that  the 
spoil  of  it  was  equal  to  that  of  Carthage.  It  was  called  quadruple*, 
as  being  divided  into  four  parts,  Acradino,  Tychc,  Neapolis,  and 
the  island  of  Ortygia.  The  first  of  these  contained  in  it  the  famous 
temple  of  Jupiter;  the  second,  the  temple  of  Fortune;  the  third,  a 
large  Amphitheatre,  and  a  wonderful  statue  of  Apollo,  in  the  midst 
of  a  spacious  square  ;  and  the  fourth,  the  two  temples  of  Diana  and 
Minerva,  and  the  renowned  fountain  of  Arethusa.  About  two  hun- 
dred and  ten  years  before  the  birth  of  Christ,  this  city  was  taken 
and  sacked  by  Marcellus,  the  Roman  general,  and,  in  storming  the 
place,  Archimedes,  the  great  Mathematician,  who  is  esteemed  the 
first  inventor  of  the  sphere,  and  who,  dining  the  siege, had  sorely 
galled  the  Romans  with  his  military  engines,  was  slain  by  a  com- 
mon soldier,  while  he  was  intent  upon  his  studies.  After  it  was  thus 
destroyed  by  Marcellus,  Augustus  rebuilt  that  part  of  it  which  stood 
upon  the  island,  and,  in  time,  it  so  far  recovered  itself,  as  to  have 
three  walls,  three  castles,  and  a  marble  gate,  and  to  be  able  to  send 
out  twelve  thousand  horse,  and  four  hundred  ships.  But  it  was 
totally  destroyed  by  the  Saracens  in  S84,  and  scarce  any  vestiges  of 
it  are  now  to  be  seen. 

t  Rhegium,  now  called  Reggio,  was  a  port  town  in  Italy,  opposite 
to  Messina  in  the  island  of  Sicily;  it  is  thought  to  have  this  name 
given  it  by  the  Greeks,  who  suppose,  that  about  this  place  Sicily 
was  broken  off  from  the  continent  of  Italy  by  the  sea. 

|  Pideoli  was  a  noted  town  for  trade,  which  lay  not  far  from 
Naples;  it  was  famous  for  its  hot  baths;  and  from  these  baths,  or 
pits,  of  water,  called  in  Latin  patei,  the  town  is  said  to  have  taken 
its  name. 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.      197 

When  the  Christians  of  Rome  heard  that  Paul  was  on 
his  journey  to  that  city,  great  Bombers  of  them  went  to 
meet  him,  some  as  far  as  Apiiforum,*  and  others  as  far  as  a 
place  called  the  Three  Taverns. f  As  soon  as  Paul  saw 
thcni  he  was  greatly  rejoiced,  and  thanked  God  and  took 
courage.  They  all  conducted  him  in  a  kind  of  triumph  to 
the  city,  on  their  arrival  at  which  Julius  delivered  the  rest 
of  his  prisoners  over  to  the  captain  of  the  guard ;  but  Paul 
was  permitted  to  take  up  his  residence  in  a  private  house, 
with  only  one  soldier  to  guard  him. 

After  Paul  had  been  at  Rome  three  days  he  sent  for 
the  heads,  or  rulers  of  the  Jews,  in  that  city,  who  being  as- 
sembled, lie  addressed  himself  to  them  in  words  to  this 
effect :  "  Meu  and  brethren,  though  I  have  done  nothing 
u  contrary  to  the  laws  and  customs  of  the  Jews,  yet  was 
u  I  by  them  apprehended  and  accused  before  the  Roman 
"  governor,  who,  when  he  had  examined  me,  and  found  no 
"  capital  accusation  laid  by  my  enemies,  would  have  dis- 
"  charged  me.  But  the  Jews  opposing  it,  I  was  forced  to 
u  appeal  to  Caesar  to  get  out  of  their  hands,  not  that  I  had 
u  any  complaint  to  make  to  him  against  my  countrymen . 
(i  And  this  is  the  cause  of  my  desiring  to  speak  with  you ; 
"  for  I  am  imprisoned,  as  you  see,  for  teaching  the  belief 
u  and  expectation  of  a  future  resurrection,  which  is  the 
'•  result  of  all  the  promises  of  God  to  the  Jews,  and  that 
"  on  which  every  true  Israelite  depends. n  The  answer 
the  rulers  made  to  this  was  to  the  following  purport: 
{i  We  have  no  letters  from  Judea  that  mention  thee. 
"  neither  have  the  converted  Jews  made  any  complaint 
u  against  thee.  But  we  desire  to  hear  thy  opinion  more 
"  at  large:  for  as  concerning  this  profession  and  doctrine 
"  of  Christianity,  we  know  it  is  generally  opposed  by  our 
"  brethren  the  Jews." 

Paul  readily  complied  with  this  request,  and  a  day  be- 
ing appointed,  not  only  the  rulers,  but  many  others  of  the 

*  Apii-formn  was  an  ancient  city  of  the  Volsci,  about  50  miles 
distant  l'rnm  Rome;  and  is  thought  to  hav^hfld  ils  name  from  the 
statue  of  Appius  Claudius  the  Roman  censor  here  erecled,  who 
paved  the  famous  way  from  Rome  to  Capua. 

t   Tt';e  three  taverns  was  another  place  which  stood  upon  the   Vp 
pian  way.  about  thirty  miles  distant  from  Rome. 


198  KROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST/ 

Jews  assembled  at  his  house,  to  whom  he  preached  from 
morning  till  night,  explaining  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel, 
and  proving,  from  the  promises  and  predictions  of  the  Old 
Testament,  that  Jesus  was  the  true  Messiah.  But  his 
discourse  was  attended  with  different  success,  some  of  his 
heirers  being  convinced  of  the  truth  of  what  he  asserted, 
while  others  persisted  in  their  infidelity.  In  consequence 
of  this  warm  disputes  took  place  between  them;  upon 
which,  as  they  were  about  to  depart,  Paul,  addressing 
himself  to  those  who  opposed  his  doctrine,  told  them  that 
their  unbelief  was  a  strict  fulfilment  of  what  had  been  pre- 
dicted by  the  prophet  Isaiah :  Well  (said  he)  spake  the 
Holy  Ghost  by  Isaiah  the  prophet  unto  our  fathers,  saying, 
Go  unto  this  people,  and  say,  Hearing  ye  shall  hear,  and 
shall  not  understand;  and  seeing  ye  shall  see,  and  not 
perceive.  For  the  heart  of  this  people  is  waxed  gross, 
and  their  ears  are  dull  of  hearing,  and  their  eyes  have 
they  closed;  lest  they  should  see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear 
with  their  ears,  and  understand  with  their  hearts,  and 
should  be  converted,  and  I  should  heal  them,  Be  it  known, 
therefore,  unto  you,  that  the  salvation  of  God  is  sent  unto 
the  Gentiles,  and  that  they  will  hear  it.  After  Paul  had  said 
this  the  whole  company  departed,  disagreeing  among  them- 
selves on  the  subject  which  had  been  propounded  to  them. 

Paul  continued  to  reside  in  the  house  he  had  hired  for 
the  space  of  two  years,  during  which  he  employed  him- 
self in  expounding  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel  to  all  who 
came  to  him.  He  preached  daily  without  the  least  moles- 
tation, and  with  such  success,  that  many  people  of  distinc- 
tion (some  of  whom  were  of  the  emperor's  court)  were 
converted,  and  became  his  constant  disciples. 

Among  others  of  the  apostle's  converts  at  Rome  was 
one  Onesimus,  who,  some  time  before,  had  been  servant 
to  Philemon,  a  person  of  distinction  at  Colosse.*   Onesi- 

*  This  was  a  great  city  of  Phrygia  in  Asia  Minor,  built  by  the 
river  Liens,  near  the  place  (as  Herodius  informs  us)  where  it  begins 
to  run  under  ground,  as,  it  does  for  five  furlongs  before  it  rises  again, 
and  empties  itself  iifto  the  Meander.  This  city  was  situated  at  an 
equal  distance  between  Laodicea  and  Hierapolis,  and,  therefore,  we 
find  St.  Paul  (in  his  Epistle  to  the  Colossians,  Chap.  iv.  13.)  making 
mention  of  the  inhabitants  of  all  these  three  cities  together;  which 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OK  CHRISTIANITY.      100 

mus,  having  committed  some  indiscretion,  left  his  master,. 
and  rambled  as  far  as  Rome,  where,  hearing  Paul  preach. 
he  conceived  such  an  idea  of  the  truth  of  his  doctrine,  that 
he  became  a  most  serious  convert.  Paul,  however,  under- 
standing that  lie  was  another  man's  servant,  advised  him 
to  return  to  his  master,  which  he  readily  agreeing  to, 
Paul  sent  an  epistle  by  him  to  Philemon,  in  which  he 
"  earnestly  requests  that  he  will  pardon  him,  and,  not- 
withstanding his  former  faults,  treat  him  as  a  brother; 
promising  withal,  that  if  he  had  wronged  or  owed  him 
any  thing,  lie  himself  would  not  fail  to  repay  it."  This 
epistle  may  be  considered  as  a  masterpiece  of  eloquence 
in  the  persuasive  way;  for  the  apostle  has  therein  had 
recourse  to  all  the  considerations  which  friendship,  re- 
ligion, piety  and  tenderness  can  inspire,  to  reconcile  an 
incensed  master  to  an  indiscreet  servant. 

The  Christians  of  Philipni  having  heard  of  Paul's  im- 
prisonment at  Rome,  and  not  knowing  to  what  distress  he 
might  be  reduced,  raised  a  contribution  for  him,  and  sent 
it  by  Epaphroditus  their  bishop.  This  gave  great  satis- 
faction to  Paul,  not  so  much  on  account  of  the  money 
they  had  sent,  but,  from  its  being  a  proof  that  they  still 
retained  Christian  principles.  To  encourage  them,  there- 
fore, to  persevere  in  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  to  withstand 
all  opposition  that  might  be  made  against  them  by  the 
enemies  of  the  Gospel,  he  returned  them  an  Epistle, 
"  wherein  he  gives  some  account  of  the  state  of  his  affairs 
e<  at  Rome;  gratefully  acknowledges  their  kindness  to 
"  him ;  and  warns  them  against  the  dangerous  opinions 
•'  which  the  Judaizing  teachers  might  vent  against  them. 
(t  He  likewise  advises  them  to  live  in  continual  obedience 
"  to  Christ;  to  avoid  disputations,  delight  in  prayer,  be 
u  courageous  under  affliction,  united  in  love,  and  clothed 
u  in  humility,  in  imitation  of  the  Blessed  Jesus,  who  so 
••'  far  humbled  himself,  as  to  become  obedient  unto  death, 
u  even  the  death  of  the  cross." 

Paul  had  lived  three  years  at  Ephesus,  preaching  the 
Gospel  to  the  numerous  inhabitants  of  that  city,  and  was 

(according  to  the  aecount  of  Eusebius)  were  all  destroyed  by  an 
earthquake,  in  the  tenth  year  of  the  emperor  Nero. 


200  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

therefore  well  acquainted  with  the  state  and  condition  of 
the  place ;  so  that  taking  the  opportunity  of  Tychicus's 
going  thither  from  Rome,  he  wrote  his  Epistle  to  the  Ephc- 
sians,  wherein  u  he  endeavors  to  countermine  the  princi- 
i(  pies  and  practices  both  of  the  Jews  and  Gentiles ;  to 
"  confirm  them  in  the  belief  aud  practices  of  the  Christian 
•'•'  doctrine;  and  to  instruct  them  fully  in  the  great  myste- 
"  ries  of  the  Gospel;  their  redemption  and  justification 
£i  by  the  death  of  Christ;  their  gratuitous  election,  their 
*•  union  with  the  Jews  in  one  body,  of  which  Christ  is  the 
"  head,  and  the  glorious  exaltation  of  that  head  above  all 
(i  with  creatures  both  spiritual  and  temporal ;  together 
(i  many  excellent  precepts,  both  as  to  the  general  duties  of 
et  religion,  and  the  duties  of  their  particular  relations." 

Paul  himself  had  never  been  at  Colosse;  but  one  Epa- 
phras,  who  was  at  that  time  a  prisoner  with  him  at  Rome, 
had  preached  the  Gospel  there  with  good  success,  and 
from  him  he  learnt  that  certain  false  teachers  had  en- 
deavored to  corrupt  the  minds  of  the  Christians  in  that 
city.  In  opposition  to  this,  and  to  secure  the  converts  in 
their  faith,  he  wrote  his  Epistle  to  the  Colossians,  where- 
in "  he  beautifully  sets  forth  the  Messiah,  and  all  the 
"  benefits  that  will  be  bestowed  on  such  as  believe  in 
"  Him,  as  being  the  image  of  his  Father,  the  Redeemer 
i(  of  all  mankind,  the  reconciler  of  all  things  to  God,  and 
"  the  head  of  the  church,  which  gives  life  and  vigor  to  all 
"  its  members.  He  commends  the  doctrine  preached  to 
"  them  by  Epaphras,  and  exhorts  them  not  to  be  led 
u  away  by  the  reasonings  of  human  philosophy.  And 
"  concludes  with  giving  them  a  list  of  many  chief  and 
i(  principal  duties  of  a  Christian  life,  especially  such  as 
ei  respect  the  relations  of  husbands  and  wives,  parents 
"  and  children,  masters  and  servants." 

During  the  time  Paul  was  thus  laudably  employed  at 
Rome,  James  the  apostle,  and  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  was 
dedicating  his  time,  as  much  as  in  him  lay,  to  the  propa- 
gation of  the  Gospel  within  his  provinces.  Considering 
within  himself  that  it  belonged  to  his  Apostolical  office  to 
take  care  of  all  the  converted  among  the  twelve  tribes  of 
Israel,  wherever  dispersed,  he  wrote  an  Epistle  to  them. 


TO  TUF.  Ii  l.i.  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRIST IANITT.    AiCTl 

which;  among  those  that  are  called  Catholic,*  is  placed 
first  in  the  sacred  canon.    The  design  of  James,  in  writing 

*  I  *  i  —  Epistle  was.  ••  to  confute  and  suppress  a  dangerous 

*  error  then  growing  up  in  the  church,  viz.  that  a  bare 
u  nuked  faith  was  sufficient  to  secure  men's  salvation, 
*'  without  any  attention  to  good  works;  to  comfort 
••  Christians  under  the  persecutions,  which  were  going  to 
il  be  raised  against  them  by  worldly  powers;  and  to 
'•  awaken  them  out  of  their  stupidity,  when  judgments 
4>  were  ready  to  overtake  them."  To  this  purpose  he  in- 
serts, in  his  Epistle,  many  excellent  exhortations,  such  as, 
ft  to  bear  afflictions,  to  hear  the  word  of  God,  to  mortify 
"  their  passions,  to  bridle  their  tongues,  to  avoid  cursing 
••  and  swearing,  and  to  adorn  their  Christian  profession 
••'  with  a  good  conversation,  with  meekness,  peaceable- 
"  ncss  and  charity/' 

It  was  not  long  after  James  had  written  this  Epistle, 
before  a  period  was  put  to  all  his  labors.  The  governing 
part  of  the  Jews,  being  highly  enraged  at  the  disappoint- 
ment they  had  met  with  in  Paul's  appealing  to  Caesar, 
were  now  resolved  to  revenge  it  upon  James;  according- 
ly, taking  the  opportunity  of  the  death  of  Festus  (before 
the  arrival  of  xUbinus  his  successor)  Ananias  the  high- 
priest  summoned  James,  and  some  others,  before  the 
Sanhedrim,  who  required  them  to  renounce  their  Chris- 
tian faith.  Their  desire  more  especially  was,  that  James 
should  make  his  renunciation  in  the  most  public  manner, 
and  therefore  they  carried  him  up  to  the  battlements  of 
the  temple,  and  threatened  to  throw  him  down  from 
thence  in  case  he  refused  complying  with  their  request. 
But  James,  instead  of  gratifying  their  desires,  began 
himself  to  confess,  and  to  exhort  others  to  confess,  the 
faitli  of  Christ,  in  the  presence  of  those  wiio  came  to  hear 
his  recantation;  upon  which  the  members  of  the  San he  - 

*  This  Epistle  of  St.  James,  with  the  two  of  St  Peter,  three  of 
St.  John,  and  that  of  Jude,  obtained  the  name  of  Catholic,  from 
their  being  directed  (not  as  St.  Paul's  were  to  any  particular  church) 
but  to  all  the  faithful  wherever  dispersed.  Their  being,  therefore, 
only  in  the  nature,  as  it  were,  of  circular  letters,  was  the  reason 
why  it  was  some  time  before  they  were  admitted  into  the  canon  of 
the  church. 

vox.  iv.  C  c 


208  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OP  CHRIST, 

drim  were  so  incensed  that  they  ordered  him  to  be  thrown 
down  headlong  from  the  place  where  he  stood.  By  this 
fall  he  was  greatly  bruised,  but  not  quite  killed;  and 
therefore  having  recovered  himself  so  far  as  to  be  able  to 
rise  on  his  knees,  he  prayed  fervently  to  heaven  for  his 
persecutors,  in  the  manner  of  the  protomartyr  Stephen. 
But  malice  is  too  diabolical  to  be  pacified  with  kind- 
ness, or  satisfied  with  cruelty.  Accordingly,  his  enemies, 
vexed  that  they  had  not  fully  accomplished  their  work, 
poured  a  shower  of  stones  upon  him  while  he  was  im- 
ploring their  forgiveness  at  the  throne  of  grace,  and  one 
of  them,  more  cruel  and  inveterate  than  the  rest,  put  an 
end  to  his  misery,  by  dashing  out  his  brains  with  a  ful- 
ler's club.* 

Thus  did  this  great  and  good  man  finish  his  course  in 
the  96th  year  of  his  age,  and  about  twenty-four  years 
after  our  Blessed  Saviour's  ascension  into  heaven.  His 
remains  were  deposited  in  a  tomb,  which  he  had  caused 
to  be  made  on  the  Mount  of  Olives:  and  his  brother 
Simon  was,  by  the  general  voice  of  the  Christians,  ap- 
pointed his  successor  in  the  bishopric  of  Jerusalem. 

The  apostle  James  was  a  man  of  exemplary  piety  and 
devotion.  Prayer  was  his  daily  business  and  delight:  so 
constant  was  he  at  his  devotions  that  his  knees  became 
hard  and  callous;  and  so  prevalent  in  his  petitions  to 
heaven,  that,  in  a  time  of  great  drought,  he  prayed  for 
rain  and  obtained  it.  Nor  was  his  charity  to  his  fellow- 
creatures  less  than  his  piety  towards  Grod;  he  did  good 
to  all,  watched  over  the  souls  of  men,  and  made  their 
eternal  welfare  his  constant  study.  He  was  of  a  remark- 
able  meek  and  humble  temper,  honoring  what  was  ex- 
cellent in  others,  but  concealing  what  was  valuable  in 
himself.   The  dignity  of  the  place  he  so  worthily  filled 

*  The  perpetrators  of  this  harbarous  act  were  considered  in  the 
most  detestable  light  by  the  sober  and  just  persons  among  the  Jews 
themselves.  Even  their  own  historian  Josephus  could  not  but  con- 
demn it,  and  (as  himself  testifies)  all  the  honest  and  conscientious 
people  of  the  city  remonstrated  against  it,  both  to  their  king  Agrip- 
pa,  and  to  the  Roman  governor  Albimis;  insomuch  that  the  high- 
priest,  by  whose  authority  it  was  committed,  was,  in  a  few  months 
itftfer,  degraded,  and  another  placed  in  his  stead. 


TO  THE  H  LL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     203 

eould  not  induce  him  to  entertain  lofty  thoughts  of  him- 
self above  his  brethren:  on  the  contrary,  he  strove  to 
conceal  whatever  might  place  him  in  a  higher  rank  than 
the  other  disciples  of  the  Lord  of  Glory.  He  was  the  de- 
light of  all  good  men,  and  so  much  in  the  favor  aud  esti- 
mation of  the  people,  that  they  used  to  flock  after  him, 
and  strive  who  should  touch  even  but  the  hem  of  his  gar- 
ment. In  short,  he  was  a  man  of  so  amiable  a  temper  as 
to  be  the  wonder  of  the  age  in  which  he  lived ;  and  from 
the  reputation  of  his  holy  and  religious  life,  was  stiled 
James  the  Just. 


CHAP.  VII. 

Paul,  after  being  confined  more  than  tivo  years  at  Ronjf,  ob- 
tains Ids  liber tn,  and  writes  his  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  He 
travels  into  Spain  and  other  western  parts,  and  then  return- 
ing eastward,  goes  to  Judea.  Jlccount  of  the  Travels  and 
preaching  of  Peter,  with  his  conquest  over  Simon  Magus, 
the  noted  sorcerer.  Peter  and  Paul  are  committed  to  prison 
by  order  of  the  emperor  Nero,  who  raises  the  first  general 
persecution  against  the  Christians.  Account  of  Paul's  far- 
ther travels,  ivith  his  first  Epistle  to  Timothy,  and  another 
to  Titus.  He  returns  to  Home,  and,  with  Peter,  is  again 
committed  to  prison.  Paul  ivrites  his  second  Epistle  to  Timo- 
thy. Both  suffer  martyrdom  at  Rome,  the  one  being  cruci 
fed,  and  the  other  beheaded. 

AFTER  Paul  had  continued  at  Rome  upwards  of 
two  years,  in  a  state  of  confinement,  he  obtained  his  lib- 
erty, but  by  what  means  we  have  not  any  account  in  his- 
tory. It  may  be  presumed  that,  the  Jews  not  having  suf 
ficient  proof  of  the  accusation  they  had  laid  against  him, 
or  being  informed  that  what  they  alledged  was  no  viola- 
tion of  any  Roman  law,  they  durst  not  implead  him  be- 
fore the  emperor;  and  therefore,  of  course,  he  was  per- 
mitted to  go  at  large. 

Paul,   having  obtained  his  liberty,  left  Rome,   and 
travelled  into  various  parts  of  Italy,  preaching  the  Gospel 


SiOl  FROM   THE    ASCENSION    OF    CHRIST, 

"with  different  success.  In  some  places  he  made  many  con- 
verts, bnt  in  others  he  met  with  great  opposition.  Before 
he  left  Italy,  he  wrote  his  famous  aud  most  elaborate 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  that  is,  to  the  converted  Jews 
who  dwelt  in  Jerusalem  and  its  neighborhood.  His  main 
design,  in  this  Epistle,  is,  "  to  magnify  Christ,  and  the 
(i  religion  of  the  Gospel,  above  Moses  and  the  Jewish 
"  economy,  that,  by  this  means,  he  may  the  better  estab- 
"  lish  the  converted  Jews  in  the  belief  aud  profession 
i(  of  Christianity.  To  this  purpose  he  represents  our 
"  Saviour,  in  his  Divine  nature,  far  superior  to  all  angels, 
(i  and  all  created  beings;  and,  in  his  mediatorial  capacity, 
"  a  greater  lawgiver  than  Moses ;  a  greater  priest  than 
"  Aaron;  and  a  greater  king  and  priest  than  Melehise- 
"  dec.  He  informs  them,  that  the  ceremonies,  the  sacri- 
a  fices,  and  the  observances  of  the  law,  could  have  no 
"  virtue  in  themselves,  but  only  as  they  were  types  of 
(i  Jesus  Christ;  aud,  being  now  accomplished  in  his  per- 
(i  son,  and  by  his  ministry,  were  finally  and  totally  abol- 
6i  ished.  He  insists  upon  the  necessity  of  faith,  and,  by 
<%  the  examples  of  the  patriarchs  and  prophets,  proves, 
Ci  that  justification  is  to  be  had  no  other  way,  than  by  the 
"  merits  of  a  dying  Saviour.  And  lastly,  he  lays  before 
(i  them  many  excellent  precepts  for  the  regulation  of 
"  their  lives ;  exhortations  to  trust  and  confidence  in 
*f  Christ,  in  all  their  sufferings;  and  strict  cautions 
"  against  apostacy  from  his  religion,  even  in  the  hottest 
(i  persecutions." 

A  short  time  after  Paul  had  written  this  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews,  he  left  Italy,  and,  accompanied  by  Timothy, 
prosecuted  his  long  intended  journey  into  Spain;  and, 
according  to  the  testimony  of  several  writers,  crossed  the 
sea,  and  preached  the  Gospel  in  Britain.*   What  success 

*  Clements,  in  his  famous  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  expressly 
tells  us,  that,  being  a  preacher,  both  to  the  East  and  West,  he 
taught  righteousness  to  the  whole  World,  and  went  to  the  utmost 
bounds  of  the  West;  and  Theodoret  and  others  inform  us,  that  he 
preached  not  only  in  Spain,  but  went  to  other  nations,  and  brought 
the  Gospel  into  the  isles  of  the  sea,  by  which  he  undoubtedly  means 
Britain:  and,  therefore,  he  elsewhere  reckons  the  Gauls  and  Britons, 
among  the  people,  whom  the  apostles,  and  particularly  Paul,  per- 
suaded to  embrace  the  doctrine  of  Christ. 


TO  THE  KVLL  ESTABLISHMENT  01-  CHRISTIANITY.     2t)r/ 

lie  had  in  these  western  parts  is  not  known:  however, 
after  going  from  one  place  to  another  for  the  space  of 
eight  or  nine  months,  he  returned  again  eastward,  visited 
►Sicily,  Greece  and  Crete  (at  the  latter  of  which  places  he 
constituted  Titus  hishop  of  the  island)  and  then  went  into 
Judca,  where  we  shall  for  the  present  leave  him,  in  order 
to  take  some  notice  of  Peter,  his  fellow-laborer  in  the 
cause  of  Christ. 

In  what  manner  Peter  employed  his  time,  after  his 
escape  out  of  prison,  we  have  not  any  certain  account. 
It  is,  however,  generally  agreed,  that  about  the  second 
year  of  the  emperor  Claudius,  he  went  to  Rome,  and 
there  continued  for  some  time,  till  at  length  that  emperor, 
taking  advantage  of  some  seditions  and  tumults  raised  by 
the  Jews,  published  an  edict  for  banishing  all  the  Jews 
from  that  city;  in  consequence  of  which  Peter  returned  to 
Jerusalem.  After  staying  some  time  in  the  capital  of 
Judea,  he  visited  the  several  churches  which  he  had 
planted  in  the  East,  and  carried  the  glad  tidings  of  the 
Gospel  into  Africa,  Sicily,  Italy,  and  even  as  far  as 
Britain,  in  all  which  places  he  brought  over  great 
numbers  to  the  Christian  faith. 

Having  thus  propagated  the  Gospel  in  the  Western, 
as  well  as  the  Eastern  parts  of  the  world,  Peter,  towards 
the  latter  end  of  the  reign  of  Nero,  returned  to  Rome, 
the  Jews,  after  the  death  of  Claudius,  being  permitted  to 
reside  in  that  city  with  the  same  freedom  as  before  that 
emperor  issued  his  edict  for  their  banishment.  On  Peter's 
arrival  at  Rome,  he  met  with  his  fellow-laborer  Paul, 
who  had  just  returned  thither  from  Judea.  The  two 
apostles  found  the  minds  of  the  people  strangely  be- 
witched, and  hardened  against  the  doctrines  of  the  Gos- 
pel, by  the  subtilties  and  magical  arts  of  Simon  Magus, 
whom  Peter  had  severely  chastised  for  his  wickedness  at 
Samaria.  This  monster  of  impiety  not  only  opposed  the 
preaching  of  the  apostles,  but  likewise  did  all  in  his 
power  to  render  them  and  their  doctrine  odious  to 
the  emperor.  Peter,  foreseeing  that  the  calumnies  of 
Simon  and  his  adherents  would  be  injurious  to  the  cause 
of  his  great  Master,  thought  himself  obliged  to  oppose  him 
with  all  his  might;  and  having  discovered  the  vanity  of 


3Q#  ERQM   THE    ASCENSION   OF    CHRIST, 

Iiis  impostures  in  several  remarkable  instances,*  lie  at 
length  worked  him  up  to  such  a  pitch  of  madness  and 
desperation,  that  to  give  the  people  an  evident  demon- 
stration of  his  having  those  supernatural  powers  lie  had 
pretended,  he  promised  that,  on  such  a  day,  he  would 
ascend  visibly  up  into  heaven.  Accordingly,  at  the  time 
appointed,  when  prodigious  numbers  of  people  were  as- 
sembled to  behold  so  extraordinary  a  sight,  he  went  up 
to  the  summit  of  a  mount,  from  whence  he  raised  himself, 
and,  by  the  assistance  of  some  magic  arts,  seemed  as  if 
he  was  flying  towards  the  regions  of  heaven.  Peter  and 
Paul,  beholding  the  delusion,  had  recourse  to  prayers, 
and  obtained  their  petitions  of  the  Almighty,  namely, 
that  the  impostor  should  be  soon  discovered,  for  the 
honor  of  the  Blessed  Jesus.  Accordingly,  he  fell  head- 
long to  the  ground,  and  was  so  bruised  by  the  fall,  that, 
in  a  short  time,  he  expired. 

*  Cave,  in  his  Lives  of  the  Apostles,  mentions  one  of  these  in- 
stances as  related  by  Hegcsippus  the  younger,  who  was  contem- 
porary with  St.  Ambrose.  "  There  was  (says  that  writer)  in  Rome, 
u  a  gentleman  of  some  note,  a  kinsman  to  the  emperor,  who  had 
"  lately  died.  In  consequence  of  this,  those  who  knew  St.  Peter's 
"  power  in  working  miracles,  advised  his  friends  to  send  for  him, 
"  and  others  likewise  prevailed,  that  Simon  the  magician  might  be 
"  sent  for.  Glad  of  this  occasion  to  magnify  himself  before  the  peo- 
"  pie,  Simon  proposed  to  Peter,  that,  if  he  raised  the  man  to  life, 
"  Peter,  who  had  reviled  the  mighty  fower  of  God  (as  he  stiled 
"himself)  should  lose  his  life ;  but  that,  if  Peter  prevailed,  he  would 
w  submit  to  the  same  penalty.  Peter  accepted  the  challenge;  and, 
"  when  Simon  began  his  charms  and  enchantments,  the  dead  body 
"  seemed  to  move  his  hand  :  whereupon,  the  people  who  stood  by, 
"  thinking  that  the  person  was  alive,  were  going  to  fall  foul  on 
"  Peter,  for  daring  to  oppose  so  great  a  power.  But  Peter,  intreat- 
"  ing  their  patience,  desired  only  that  the  magician  might  be  re- 
a  moved  from  the  bed-side;  which,  when  they  had  so  done,  the  de- 
"  eeption  vanished,  and  the  body  remained  without  the  least  sign  of 
"motion.  Then  Peter,  standing  at  a  good  distance  from  the  bed, 
"  silently  made  his  addresses  to  heaven,  and  when  he  had  so  done, 
"in  the  presence  of  them  all,  commanded  the  man,  in  the  name  of 
"  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  arise,  which  he  instantly  did;  so  that  the  peo- 
"  pie  changing  their  minds,  were  going  to  stone  the  magician,  but 
"that  Peter  interposed  for  his  life,  by  telling  them,  that  it  would 
"  be  punishment  enough  to  him  to  live,  and  see,  that  in  despite  of 
"  all  his  power  and  malice,  tho  kingdom  of  Christ  would  increase 
u  and  flourish.  '* 


to  rHE  it i.i.  lstablisiimi-.nl  of  Christianity.  £07 

The  emperor  Nero  was  a  professed  patron  of  ma. 
gicians,  and  then  lore,  when  he  heard  of  this  event,  lie, 
was  greatly  irritated.  lie  had  a  particular  dislike  to  the 
doctrine  of  Christianity,  as  being  totally  repugnant  to  the 
lusts  and  passions  which  he  indulged :  and  was  highly 
pffended  at  Peter  for  having  made  so  many  converts, 
among  whom  were  several  persons  of  distinction.  In 
consequence  of  this  he  ordered  hiin  and  Paul  to  be  ap- 
prehended and  cast  into  prison,  soon  after  which,  an 
event-  occurred,  from  whence  he  took  the  opportunity  of 
shewing  his  resentment  to  the  Jews,  and  that  in  the  most 
severe  manner.  He  issued  out  an  edict,  ordering  the 
Christian  Jews  to  be  persecuted  in  every  part  of  his  em- 
pire; in  consequence  of  which  all  orders  and  degrees  of 

*  The  emperor  Nero,  in  the  former  part  of  his  reign,  governed 
with  tolerable  credit  to  himself;  but  in  the  latter  part  he  gave  way 
to  the  greatest  extravagance  of  temper,  and  to  the  most  atrocious 
barbarities.  The  event  above  alluded  to  is  this.  Among  other  dia- 
bolical whims  he  took  it  into  his  head  to  order,  that  the  city  of 
Koine  should  be  set  on  fire,  which  was  done  by  his  officers,  guards, 
and  servants,  accordingly.  While  the  imperial  city  was  in  flames, 
he  went  up  to  the  tower  of  Macenas,  played  upon  his  harp,  sung  the 
song  of  the  burning  of  Troy,  and  openly  declared,  "  That  he  wished 
the  ruin  of  all  things  before  his  death."  Among  the  noble  buildings 
burnt  was  the  Circus,  or  place  appropriated  to  horse-races:  it  was 
half  a  mile  in  length,  of  an  oval  form,  with  rows  of  seats  rising 
above  each  other,  and  capable  of  receiving,  with  ease,  upwards  of 
100,000  spectators.  Besides  this  noble  pile,  many  other  palaces  and 
houses  were  consumed:  several  thousands  perished  in  the  flames, 
were  smothered  with  the  smoke,  or  buried  beneath  the  ruins. 

This  dreadful  conflagration  continued  nine  days;  when  Nero  find- 
ing that  his  conduct  was  greatly  blamed,  and  a  severe  odium  cast 
upon  him,  determined  to  lay  the  whole  upon  the  Christians,  at  once 
to  excuse  himself,  and  have  an  opportunity  of  glutting  his  sight  with 
new  cruelties.  This  was  the  occasion  of  the  first  persecution;  and 
the  barbarities  exercised  upon  the  Christians  were  such  as  even  ex- 
cited the  commiseration  of  the  Romans  themselves.  Nero  even  re- 
fined upon  cruelty,  and  contrived  all  manner  of  punishments  for  the 
Christians,  that  the  most  infernal  imagination  could  design.  In 
particular,  he  had  some  sewed  up  in  the  skins  of  wild  beasts,  and 
then  worried  by  dogs  till  they  expired;  and  others  dressed  in  shirts 
made  still' with  wax,  fixed  to  axle-trees,  and  set  on  fire  in  his  gardens 
in  order  to  illuminate  them.  This  persecution  was  general  through- 
out the  whole  of  the  Roman  empire;  but  it  rather  increased  than 
diminished  the  spirit  of  Christianity. 


208  FItOxM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

that   people  were   treated   with   the   greatest  contempt 
and  cruelty  that  could  be  invented. 

But  before  the  burning  of  the  city,  and  the  persecution 
commenced  against  the  Christians,  in  consequence  of 
Nero's  edict,  both  Peter  and  Paul  made  their  escape 
from  confinement.  Peter  continued  at  Home,  but  Paul 
left  it,  and  went  into  Judea,  where  he  staid  some  time, 
after  which  he  went  into  Asia,  and  met  Timothy  at 
Ephesus.  From  hence  he  paid  a  visit  to  the  Colossians, 
whom  he  had  never  before  seen,  and  after  staying  with 
them  some  time  returned  to  Ephesus,  and  excommuni- 
cated Hymeneus*  and  Alexander,  for  denying  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead,  and  other  articles  of  the  Christian 
faith.  From  Ephesus  he  went  into  Macedonia,  but  pre- 
vious to  liis  departure,  enjoined  Timothy  (whom  he  had 
constituted  bishop  of  Ephesusf  constantly  to  reside  in 
that  city,  and  to  take  the  charge  of  all  the  Pro-consular 
Asia. 

After  Paul  had  visited  several  places  in  Macedonia, 
lie  went  to  Philippic  where  he  staid  some  time,  during 
which  he  daily  preached  to  the  people,  made  many  new 
converts,  and  farther  established  those  who  had  before 

*  This  Hymeneus  was,  very  probably,  a  citizen  of  Ephesus,  who, 
being  converted  by  St.  Paul's  first  sermons,  fell  afterwards  into  the 
heresy  of  those,  who  denied  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  and  af- 
firmed, that  there  was  no  other  resurrection,  than  that  of  the  soul, 
which,  by  faith  and  baptism,  is  revived  from  sin  to  grace.  The  Alex- 
ander, who  was  his  colleague  in  this  heresy,  was  doubtless,  the  cop- 
persmith whom  St.  Paul,  in  his  second  Epistle  to  Timothy,  so  loudly 
complains  of,  as  greatly  obstructing  the  good  effects  of  his  preach- 
ing, chap.  iv.  14.  but  whether  it  was  the  same  Alexander,  who 
would  have  addressed  himself  to  the  multitude,  which  Demetrius, 
the  silversmith  of  Ephesus,  had  drawn  together,  Acts,  xix.  24.  is  a 
matter  of  some  doubt.  However  this  be,  it  is  certain,  that  their 
notion  of  no  other  resurrection  than  a  spiritual  one,  was  destructive 
of  the  very  foundations  of  Christianity,  which  are  laid  in  the  hopes 
of  a  resurrection  from  the  dead;  and,  therefore,  the  apostle  thought 
it  expedient  to  have  them  excommunicated,  i.  e.  separated  from  the 
society  of  the  faithful,  and  deprived  of  the  privileges  of  being  present 
at  religious  assemblies,  of  partaking  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and 
joining  in  such  other  holy  offices,  as  linked  Christians  together  in 
one  and  the  same  society  and  communion. 

t  See  1  Tim.  i.  3. 

}   See  Philip,  i.  23,  26. 


TO  THE  Ft  LI-  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     209 

embraced  the  faith  in  the  principles  of  Christianity.  Be* 
fore  he  left  Macedonia  lie  wrote  his  first  Epistle  to  Tim- 
othy, in  which  ••  h<'  lays  down  the  duties  and  qualifica- 
'•'  tions  of  a  bishop,  as  well  in  respect  of  his  ministry,  as 
H  of  his  private  conversation,  and  instructs  him  in  the 
"  office  of  a  true  Christian  pastor." 

Leaving  Macedonia,  Paul  directed  his  course  to  Nico- 
faolis,  a  populous  city  situated  on  the  banks  of  the 
Danube,  where  he  took  up  his  winter  quarters.  During 
his  stay  here,  he  wrote  his  Epistle  to  Titus  at  Crete; 
wherein  ••  he  describes  to  hi  in  (as  he  had  done  to  Tim- 
hi  othy)  the  qualifications  which  a  bishop  ought  to  have, 
'-  and  more  especially  a  bishop  of  Crete,  where  some 
,k'  sharpness  and  severity  was  necessary  amidst  a  people 
"  of  their  perverse  and  obstinate  tempers.  He  admon- 
"  ishes  him  not  to  softer  the  flock,  committed  to  his 
"  charge,  to  be  led  away  by  the  delusions  of  Judaism; 
"  and  lastly,  lays  down  precepts  for  people  in  all  con- 
"  ditions  of  life,  even  not  forgetting  servants,  because 
"  our  Blessed  Saviour  has  poured  out  his  grace  upon  all 
"  men/' 

In  the  begiuning  of  the  spring  Paul  left  Nicopolis,  and 
went  to  Corinth.  After  staying  a  short  time  here,  he 
crossed  the  sea  into  Asia,  and  went  to  Ephesus,  and  from 
thence  proceeded  to  Miletum.  From  Miletum  he  travel- 
led northward  to  Troas,  and  lodged  with  Carpus,  one  of 
his  disciples,  where  he  left  his  cloke,*  some  books,  and 
other  articles.  From  Troas  he  went  to  Antioch,  Iconium 
and  Lystra,  where  he  suffered  those  persecutions  and 
afflictions,  of  which  he  makes  meution  to  Timothy,  and 
thanks  God  for  his  deliverance  from  them.f 

After  visiting  these,  and  many  other  places,  Paul  went 
again  to  Home,  knowing  that  the  persecution  which  had 
taken  place  in  that  city,  in  consequence  of  the  edict  issued 
by  Nero,  was  somewhat  abated.  Meeting  with  Peter,  they 
conjunctively  used  their  utmost  endeavors  to  instruct  the 
Jews  in  their  synagogues,  and  to  convert  the  Gentiles  in 
all  public  places  and  assemblies.    This,  however,  soon 

*  See  2  Tim.  iv.  13. 
t  2  Tim.  iii.  4-. 
voi.  iv.         D  n 


210  EROxM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST. 

raised  the  malice  and  indignation  of  the  magistrates,  who 
were  still  inflamed  against  the  Jews.  Nero  was  at  that 
time  in  Greece,  and  had  left  Helius  to  supply  his  place 
during  his  absence,  investing  him  with  exorbitant  powers, 
which  he  exercised  with  the  most  unbounded  rigor.  It 
was  a  crime  sufficient  for  these  two  apostles  (in  the  eyes 
of  Helius)  that  they  were  Christians.  The  particular 
prejudice  he  took  against  Peter  was,  his  having  defeated 
Simon  Magus ;  and  that  against  Paul,  his  having  con- 
verted one  of  the  emperor's  concubines.  He  therefore  or- 
dered them  both  to  be  apprehended  and  committed  to 
prison,  where  they  spent  their  time  in  the  most  solemn 
acts  of  devotion,  and,  as  opportunity  offered,  preached 
t!.-_  Gospel  to  their  guards  and  fellow  prisoners,  among 
whom  it  is  said  they  converted  Processus  and  Martinian^ 
two  principal  officers  of  the  army. 

While  they  were  in  prison  Peter  wrote  his  second  gen- 
eral epistle  to  the  converted  Jews,  who  were  dispersed  in 
the  several  provinces  of  Asia.  In  this  epistle  "  he  en- 
*'  deavors,  by  earnest  exhortations,  to  prevail  with  them 
"  to  persevere  in  the  doctrine  which  they  had  received, 
"  and  to  testify  the  soundness  and  sincerity  of  their  faith 
"  by  a  Christian  life.  He  forewarns  them  of  the  false 
li  teachers  that  would  shortly  spring  up  among  them, 
u  foretels  their  sad  and  miserable  destruction,  and  de- 
"  scribes  them  by  their  odious  characters  that  they  may 
u  avoid  them.  He  vindicates  the  doctrine  of  Christ's 
u  coming  to  judgment,  which  the  heretics  of  those  times 
"  denied,  that  thereby  they  might  encourage  men  the 
"  more  securely  to  pursue  their  lewd  courses.  And 
"  lastly,  he  describes  the  great  and  terrible  day  of  the 
u  Lord,  when  the  elements  shall  melt,  and  the  whole 
u  frame  of  nature  be  dissolved,  thereby  to  excite  them  to 
w  become  circumspect  and  diligent,  in  order  to  be  found 
"  of  him  in  peace,  without  sjiot,  and  blameless." 

Much  about  the  same  time  that  Peter  wrote  this  epistle 
to  the  converted  Jews  in  Asia,  Paul  wrote  his  second 
epistle  to  Timothy,  wherein  "  he  informs  him  of  the  near 
"  approach  of  his  death,  and  desires  him  to  come  to  him 
"  before  winter,  because  most  of  his  companions,  upon 
"  one  affair  or  other,  were  departed  from  him.  He  ex- 


10  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRIST!  \NI  I  V.     Si  1 

••'  horts  him  to  discharge  all  the  duties  of  a  bishop  and 
••  pastor,  suitable  to  those  excellent  gifts  he  had  received, 
»'•  and  with  a  generous  contempt  of  the  world,  and  world- 
•'•  ly  things.  He  admonislies  him,  not  to  forget  the  doc- 
-'  trine  which  he  had  taught  him,  nor  to  be  surprized  or 
ii  disturbed  at  the  apostacy  of  some  from  the  faith,  but  to 
u  preach  the  more  zealously  against  such  opposers,  as 
"  placed  their  confidence  in  those  teachers,  who  left  the 
"  truth  to  turn  unto  fables.  And  lastly,  he  informs  him, 
4i  how,  at  his  first  appearing  before  Hclius,  all  his  com- 
"  panions,  for  fear  of  being  involved  in  his  punishment, 
"forsook  him,  but  that  the  Lord  stood  by  him  and 
"  strengthened  him,  to  make  his  preaching  more  con- 
"  spicuous  and  effectual  to  the  Gentiles.'7 

When  the  two  apostles  had  been  in  confinement  about 
eight  months,  the  cruel  Nero  returned  from  Greece,  and 
entered  Rome  in  triumph.  Soon  after  his  return  it  was 
ultimately  resolved,  that  the  two  apostles  should  be  put 
to  death.  Peter,  as  a  Jew  and  foreigner,  was  sentenced 
to  be  crucified;  and  Paul,  as  a  Roman  citizen,  to  be  be- 
headed. On  the  29th  of  June  (as  it  is  generally  supposed) 
these  sentences  were  put  in  execution.  Peter,  after  being 
first  scourged,  according  to  the  Roman  custom,  was  taken 
from  the  prison,  and  led  to  the  top  of  the  Vatican  Mount 
near  the  Tiber,  where  he  was  sentenced  to  surrender  up 
his  life  on  the  cross.  On  his  arrival  at  the  place  of  exe- 
cution, he  begged  the  favor  of  the  officers  that  he  might 
not  be  crucified  in  the  common  manner,  but  with  his  head 
downwards,  thinking  himself  unworthy  to  suffer  in  the 
same  posture  in  which  his  Lord  and  Master  had  suffered 
before  him.  This  request  was  accordingly  complied 
with ;  and  in  this  manner  did  the  great  apostle  Peter 
resign  his  soul  into  the  hands  of  Him  who  came  down 
from  heaven  to  ransom  mankind  from  destruction,  and 
open  for  them  the  gates  of  the  heavenly  Canaan. 

While  Peter  was  suffering  on  the  top  of  the  Vatican 
Mount,  his  fellow-apostle  Paul  was  conducted  to  a  place 
called  Aquae  Salvise,  about  three  miles  from  Rome,  in  or- 
der to  undergo  the  punishment  denounced  against  him  by 
the  cruel  Nero.  In  his  way  he  converted  three  of  the 
soldiers  who  were  sent  to  guard  him  to  his  execution,  and 


212  PROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

who,  within  a  few  days  after,  died  martyrs  themselves. 
As  soon  as  Paul  arrived  at  the  place  of  execution,  he 
knelt  down,  and  after  praying  for  some  time  with  the 
greatest  fervency,  cheerfully  gave  up  his  neck  to  the 
fatal  stroke;  quitting  this  vale  of  misery  in  hopes  of  pass- 
ing to  the  blissful  regions  of  immortality,  to  the  kingdom 
of  his  beloved  Master,  the  Great  .Redeemer  of  the  human 
race. 

Thus  died  these  two  most  eminent  apostles  of  Jesus 
Christ,  after  they  had,  with  indefatigable  labor,  reaped  a 
glorious  harvest  of  infinite  numbers  of  souls,  and  triumph- 
antly propagated  salvation  through  the  then  most  consid- 
erable parts  of  the  world. 

The  body  of  Peter,  being  taken  from  the  cross,  was 
embalmed  after  the  Jewish  manner  by  Marcellinus  the 
Presbyter,  and  buried  in  the  Vatican  near  the  Triumphal 
Way.  Over  "his  grave  a  small  church  was  afterwards 
erected,  which  being,  in  the  course  of  time,  destroyed, 
his  body  was  removed  to  the  cemetry  in  the  Appian 
Way,  two  miles  distant  from  Rome.  Here  it  continued 
till  the  time  of  pope  Cornelius,  when  it  was  re-conveyed 
to  the  Vatican,  where  it  abode  in  some  obscurity,  till 
Constantine  the  Great,  from  the  profound  reverence  he 
had  for  the  Christian  religion,  having  re-built  and  en- 
larged the  Vatican  to  the  honor  of  St.  Peter,  enriched  it 
with  gifts  and  ornaments,  which,  in  every  age,  increased 
in  splendor  and  beauty,  till  it  became  one  of  the  wonders 
of  the  world,  and  in  that  light  was  considered  for  many 
years  after. 

The  remains  of  Paul  were  deposited  in  the  Via  Ostien- 
sis,  about  two  miles  from  Rome.  Constantine  the  Great, 
at  the  instance  of  Pope  Sylvester,  built  a  stately  church 
over  his  grave,  which  he  adorned  with  an  hundred 
marble  columns,  and  beautified  with  the  most  exquisite 
workmanship. 

It  may  not  be  improper,  before  we  part  with  these  two 
great  apostles,  to  mention  some  particulars  relative  to 
their  persons  and  characters.    And  first, 

St.  Peter  (according  to  the  description  given  of  him  by 
Nicephorus)  was  of  a  middle  size,  but  somewhat  slender, 
and  inclining  to  tallness :  his  complexion  was  very  pale : 


TO  THE  FUEL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     213 

Lis  hair  thick  and  curled;  his  eyes  black;  his  eye-brows 
t h in :  and  his  nose  large,  hut  not  sharp.  With  respect  to 
his  disposition,  if  we  consider  him  as  a  man,  there  stums 
to  have   been  a  natural  eagerness  predominant  in  his 

temper,  which  animated  his  soul  to  the  most  hold  and 
sometimes  rash  undertakings.  It  was  this,  in  a  great 
measure,  that  prompted  him  to  be  so  very  forward  to 
speak,  and  to  return  answers  sometimes  before  he  had 
well  considered  them.  It  was  this  that  made  him  expose 
his  person  to  the  most  imminent  dangers,  promise  those 
great  things  in  behalf  of  his  master,  resolutely  draw  his 
sword  iu  his  quarrel  against  a  whole  band  of  soldiers, 
and  wound  a  servant  of  the  high-priest;  nay,  he  had,  in 
all  probability,  attempted  greater  things,  had  not  his 
Lord  restrained  his  impetuosity,  and  given  a  reasonable 
check  to  his  fury. 

If  we  consider  him  as  a  disciple  of  the  Blessed  Jesus. 
we  shall  find  him  exemplary  in  the  great  duties  of  reli- 
gion. His  humility  and  lowliness  of  mind  were  remark- 
able. With  what  a  passionate  earnestness  on  the  convic- 
tion of  a  miracle,  did  he  beg  of  our  blessed  Saviour  to 
depart  from  him;  thinking  it  unworthy  the  Son  of  God  to 
come  near  so  vile  a  sinner! 

When  the  great  Redeemer  of  mankind,  by  that  amaz- 
ing condescension,  stooped  so  low  as  to  wash  the  feet  of 
bis  disciples,  Peter  could  not  be  persuaded  to  admit  his 
performing  it,  thinking  it  highly  improper  that  so  great  a 
person  should  submit  to  such  a  servile  office  towards  a 
person  so  mean  as  himself;  nor  could  he  be  induced  to 
admit  of  it  till  his  great  Master  threatened  to  deprive  him 
of  his  favor. 

When  Cornelius,  the  Roman  centurion,  would  have 
treated  him  with  more  than  ordinary  marks  of  esteem 
and  veneration,  he  was  so  far  from  complying  with  it, 
that  he  declared  he  was  nothing  more  than  a  mortal 
like  himself. 

His  love  and  zeal  for  his  master  were  remarkable ;  he 
thought  he  could  never  express  either  at  too  high  a  rate: 
venturing  on  the  greatest  perils,  and  exposing  his  life  to 
the  most  imminent  dangers.  His  forwardness  to  own  his 
great  Master  for  the  Messiah  and  Son  of  the  Most  High, 


S14&  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

was  remarkably  great;  and  it  was  this  that  drew  from  his 
Lord  that  honorable  encomium,  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon 
JBar-jona. 

But  his  distinguished  courage  and  constancy  in  con- 
fessing Christ,  even  before  his  most  inveterate  enemies, 
was  still  greater,  after  he  had  recovered  himself  from  his 
fall.  How  plainly  does  he  tell  the  Jews  that  they  were 
the  murderers  and  crucifiers  of  the  Lord  of  Glory?  Nay, 
with  what  an  undaunted  courage,  with  what  an  heroic 
greatness  of  soul,  did  he  tell  the  very  Sanhedrim,  who 
had  sentenced  and  condemned  him,  that  they  were  guilty 
of  his  death,  and  that  they  had  no  other  way  of  escaping 
the  vengeance  of  the  Almighty,  but  by  the  merits  of  that 
very  Jesus,  whom  they  had  crucified  and  put  to  death. 

Lastly,  if  we  consider  him  as  an  apostle,  as  a  pastor, 
or  shepherd  of  the  souls  of  men,  we  shall  find  him  faith- 
ful and  diligent  in  his  office,  zealously  endeavoring  to  in- 
struct the  ignorant,  reduce  the  erroneous,  strengthen  the 
weak,  confirm  the  strong,  reclaim  the  vicious,  and  turn 
the  children  of  men  into  the  paths  of  righteousness.  He 
never  omitted  any  opportunity  of  preaching  to  the  people, 
and  spreading  the  glad  tidings  of  the  Gospel  among  the 
human  race ;  and  so  powerful  were  his  discourses,  that  he 
brought  over  many  thousands  of  converts.  How  many 
painful  journies  and  dangerous  voyages  did  he  undertake ! 
with  what  unconquerable  patience  did  he  endure  the 
greatest  trials,  surmount  every  difficulty,  and  remove 
every  disposition,  that  he  might  circulate  and  establish 
the  Gospel  of  his  beloved  Master !  Never  refusing  even 
to  lay  down  his  life  to  promote  it.  Nor  was  he  assiduous 
only  to  perform  these  duties  himself;  but  was  also  careful 
to  animate  others  to  do  the  like,  earnestly  pressing  and 
persuading  the  pastors  and  governors  of  the  church  to 
feed  the  flock  of  God,  to  labor  freely  for  the  good  of  the 
souls  of  men,  and  not  to  undertake  those  offices  to  ac- 
quire advantages  to  themselves;  beseeching  them  to  treat 
the  flock  committed  to  their  care  with  lenity  and  gentle- 
ness, and  to  be  themselves  shining  examples  of  piety  and 
religion,  the  surest  method  of  rendering  their  ministry 
successful.  And  because  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  be 
always  present,  to  teach  and  warn  the  children  of  men, 


ro  THE  FELL  ESTABLX9BMEK1   0]    CHMSTIANITT.    515 

he  endeavored,  by  letters,  to  imprint  in  their  minds  the 
practice  of  what  they  had  been  taught — a  method  he  tells 
ns  he  was  resolved  to  pursue,  as  long  as  lie  continued  an 
inhabitant  of  this  world;  thinking  it  meet,  while  he  was 
in  this  tabernacle,  to  stir  tip,  by  patting  them  in  mind  of 
these  things;  that  so  they  might  be  able,  after  his  decease, 
to  have  them  always  in  remembrance. 

Thus  lived,  thus  died,  Simon  Peter,  called  to  be  an 
apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  at  length  to  offer  up  his  life 
in  ratification  of  the  doctrine  he  delivered  and  the  faith  he 
maintained  and  propagated. 

St.  Paul  was,  in  person,  of  a  low  and  small  stature, 
somewhat  stooping:  his  complexion  was  fair;  his  counte- 
nance grave ;  his  head  small ;  his  eyes  sparkling;  his  nose 
high  and  bending;  and  his  hair  thick  and  dark,  but 
mixed  with  grey.  His  constitution  was  weak,  and  he 
was  often  subject  to  distempers;  but  his  mind  was  strong, 
and  he  possessed  a  solid  judgment,  quick  discernment, 
and  prompt  memory,  all  which  were  improved  by  the 
advantages  of  a  liberal  education.  His  humility  and  self- 
abasement  were  wonderful ;  his  sobriety  and  temperance 
singularly  strict;  and  his  contempt  for  the  world  great 
and  generous.  His  kindness  and  charity  were  remarka- 
ble :  he  had  a  quick  sense  of  the  wants  of  others,  and  a 
most  compassionate  tenderness  for  all  who  were  in 
distress.  To  what  place  soever  he  went,  it  was  always 
one  of  his  first  cares  to  make  provision  for  the  poor,  and 
to  stir  up  the  bounty  of  the  rich  and  wealthy  in  their  be- 
half. But  his  charity  to  the  souls  of  men  was  infinitely 
greater,  fearing  no  dangers,  refusing  no  labors,  going 
through  good  and  evil  report,  that  he  might  gain  men 
over  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  take  them  out  of  the 
crooked  paths  and  place  them  in  the  strait  way  that 
leadeth  to  life  eternal. 

Nor  was  his  charity  to  men  greater  than  his  zeal  to 
God,  laboring,  with  all  his  might,  to  promote  the  honor 
of  his  Master.  When  he  was  at  Athens,  and  saw  the 
people  of  that  city  involved  in  the  grossest  superstition 
and  idolatry,  and  giving  that  honor  which  was  due  to 
God  alone,  to  statues  and  images,  his  zeal  was  fired  and 
he  could  not  help  letting  them  know  the  resentment  of 


216  EfcOM    THE    ASCENSION    OF    CHRIST, 

his  mind,  and  how  greatly  they  dishonored  God,  the 
great  Maker  and  Preserver  of  the  world. 

Through  the  course  of  an  extensive  ministry,  he  never 
suffered  himself  to  be  interrupted  in  his  endeavors  for 
propagating  the  Gospel  by  the  dangers  and  difficulties  he 
met  with,  or  the  troubles  and  oppositions  that  were  raised 
against  him.  This  will  evidently  appear  if  we  take 
a  survey  of  the  trials  aud  sufferings  he  underwent;  some 
part  whereof  are  thus  briefly  summed  up  by  himself:  In 
labors  abundant,  in  stripes  above  measure,  in  death  oft; 
thrice  beaten  with  rods,  once  stoned,  thrice  suffered  ship- 
wreck,  a  night  and  a  day  in  the  deep.  In  journeying  often, 
in  perils  of  water,  in  perils  by  his  countrymen,  in  perils 
by  the  heathens,  in  perils  in  the  city,  in  perils  in  the  wil- 
derness, in  perils  in  the  sea,  in  perils  among  false 
brethren;  in  weariness  and  painfulness,  in  icatchings 
often,  in  hunger  and  thirst:  in  fastings  often:  in  cold 
and  nakedness,  and  besides  those  things  that  were  with- 
out, which  daily  came  upon  him,  the  care  of  all  the 
churches:  2  Cor.  xi.  23,  &c.  An  account,  though  very 
great,  yet  far  short  of  what  he  endured.  He  did  not 
want  for  solicitations  both  from  Jews  aud  Gentiles ;  and 
might,  doubtless,  in  some  measure,  have  made  his  own 
terms,  would  he  have  been  false  to  his  trust,  and  quitted 
that  way  which  was  then  every  where  spoken  against. 
But  alas !  those  things  weighed  little  with  our  apostle, 
who  counted  not  his  life  dear  unto  him,  so  that  he  might 
finish  his  course  with  joy,  and  the  ministry  which  he  had 
received  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  And  therefore,  when  he 
found  himself  under  the  sentence  of  death,  he  could 
triumphantly  say,  J  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have 
finished  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith. 

In  short,  he  was  a  man  in  whom  the  grace  of  God  was 
displayed  with  peculiar  lustre,  and  who  gave  the  most 
Convincing  proof  that  the  influence  of  Gospel  principles 
exceed  all  moral  and  legal  obligations. 

The  Gospel  'tis  which  streaks  the  morning  bright, 
'Tis  this  which  gilds  the  horrors  of  the  night. 
When  wealth  forsakes  us   or  when  friends  are  few  j 
Wheu  friends  are  faithless,  or  when  foes  pursue; 


10  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.      817 

Tie  this  which  wards  the  .blow,  or  stills  the  smart, 
Disarms  affliction,  or  repels  its  dart; 
Within  the  breasl  bids  purest  raptures  rise, 
Bids  awful  conscience  spread  her  cloudless  skies. 
When  the  storm  thickens,  and  the  thunders  roll, 
When  the  earth  trembles  to  the  affrighted  pole, 
The  virtuous  mind,  nor  doubts,  nor  tears  assail, 
For  storms  are  zephyrs,  or  a  gentler  gale; 
Rut  when  disease  obstructs  the  laboring  breath, 
When  the  pulse  thickens,  and  each  gasp  is  death. 
E'en  then  religion  shall  sustain  the  just, 
Grace  their  last  moments,  nor  desert  their  dust. 


CHAP.  VIII. 

Containing  an  Account  of  the  Transactions,  Travels,  Persecu- 
tions and  Sufferings  of  St.  Andrew,  St.  James  the 
Great,  St.  John  the  Evangelist,  St.  Philip,,  and  the 
other  Apostles,  Evangelists  and  Disciples  of  Christ,  to/jo, 
after  our  Lord's  ascension  into  heaven,  spent  their  time  in 
laboring  to  propagate  the  Gospel  in  different  parts  of  the 
rvorld;  most  of  ivhom  suffered  martyrdom  for  the  cause  of 
their  Great  Lord  and  Master. 

EN  the  preceding  Chapters  we  have  given  a  minute 
detail  of  the  transactions  of  those  two  great  apostles  Peter 
and  Paul,  as  related  by  the  Evangelist  St.  Luke;  to- 
gether with  an  account  of  the  persecutions  and  sufferings 
of  St.  Stephen,  and  St.  James  the  Less,  bishop  of  Jeru- 
salem. "We  shall  therefore,  in  this  Chapter  proceed  to  re- 
late the  particulars  concerning  their  fellow- laborers  in  the 
cause  of  Christ;  in  doing  which  we  shall  begin  with  the 
Apostle 

St.  ANDREW. 

After  the  ascension  of  our  Blessed  Lord  into  heaven, 
and  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  on  the  apostles,  to 
qualify  them  for  the  great  business  they  were  about  to  un- 
dertake, St.  Andrew  wras  appointed  to  preach  the  Go9pel 
in  Scythia  and  the  neighboring  countries.    Accordingly 

VOL.  IV.  E    E 


S18  E&OM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

he  departed  from  Jerusalem,  and  first  travelled  through 
Cappadocia,  Galatia  and  Bythinia,  instructing  the  in- 
habitants in  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  continued  his  journey 
along  the  Euxine  Sea,  into  the  desarts  of  Scythia.  On  his 
arrival  at  a  place  called  Amynsus,  lie  was  received  with 
great  civility  by  a  distinguished  Jew  of  that  town;  upon 
which  he  went  into  the  synagogue,  preached  to  them  con- 
cerning Jesus,  and,  from  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, proved  him  to  be  the  Messiah  and  Saviour  of  the 
world.  During  his  stay  here  he  converted  many  to  the 
true  faith,  having  done  which,  previous  to  his  departure, 
lie  ordained  them  priests,  and  settled  the  times  of  their 
public  meetings  for  the  performance  of  Divine  worship. 

Leaving  Amynsus,  he  proceeded  to  Trapezium,  a  mari- 
time city  on  the  Euxine  Sea;  from  whence,  after  visiting 
many  other  places,  he  went  to  Nice,  where  he  staid  two 
years  preaching  and  working  miracles  with  great  success. 
From  Nice  he  proceeded  to  Nicomedia,  and  from  thence 
toChalcedon,  where  betook  shipping, and  sailing  through 
the  Propontis,  passed  the  Euxine  Sea  to  Heraclea,  and 
afterwards  to  Amastris;  in  all  which  places  he  met  with 
very  great  difficulties,  but  overcame  them  by  an  invincible 
patience  and  resolution. 

From  Amastris,  Andrew  went  to  Sinope,  a  city  situ- 
ated on  the  Euxine  Sea,  and  famous  both  for  the  birth 
and  burial  of  King  Mithridates.  The  inhabitants  of  this 
city  were  chiefly  Jews,  who,  partly  from  a  zeal  for  their 
religion,  and  partly  from  their  barbarous  manners,  were 
exasperated  against  Andrew,  and  entered  into  a  confeder- 
acy to  burn  the  house  in  which  he  lodged.  But  being  dis- 
appointed in  their  design,  they  treated  him  with  the  most 
savage  cruelty,  throwing  him  on  the  ground,  stamping 
upon  him  with  their  feet,  pulling  and  dragging  him  from 
place  to  place :  some  beating  him  with  clubs,  and  others 
pelting  him  with  stones,  till  at  length,  apprehending 
they  had  entirely  deprived  him  of  life,  they  cast  him  out 
into  the  fields.  But  he  miraculously  recovered,  and  re- 
turned publicly  into  the  city;  by  which,  and  other  miracles 
he  wrought  among  them,  he  converted  many  from  the 
errors  of  their  ways,  and  induced  them  to  become  disci- 
ples of  the  Blessed  Jesus, 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     219 

Departing  from  Sinope,  he  returned  to  Jerusalem, 
and,  after  staying  a  short  time  in  his  own  country,  went 
again  into  the  province  allotted  for  the  service  of  his  min- 
istry, which  greatly  flourished  through  the  power  of  the 
Divine  grace  that  attended  it.  He  travelled  over  Thrace, 
Macedonia,  Thessaly,  Achaia,  and  Epirus,*  preaching 
the  Gospel,  propagating  Christianity,  and  confirming  the 
doctrine  he  taught  with  signs  and  miracles.  At  length  he 
arrived  at  Patrea,f  a  city  of  xlchaia,  where  he  gave  his 
last  and  greatest  testimony  to  the  Gospel  of  his  Divine 
Master,  by  cheerfully  sealing  it  with  his  blood. 

It  happened  that  iEgenas,  the  pro-consul  of  Achaia, 
came  at  this  time  to  Patrea,  where,  knowiug  that  many  of 
the  people  had  abandoned  the  heathen  religion  and  em- 
braced the  gospel  of  Christ,  he  had  recourse  to  every 
method  both  of  favor  and  cruelty,  to  reduce  the  people  to 
their  old  idolatry.  The  apostle,  whom  no  difficulties  or 
dangers  could  deter  from  performing  the  duties  of  his 
ministry,  addressed  himself  to  the  pro-consul,  calmly  put- 
ting him  in  mind  that,  being  only  a  judge  of  men,  he 
ought  to  revere  Him  who  was  the  supreme  and  impartial 
judge  of  all,  pay  him  the  divine  honors  due  to  his  exaltetl 
majesty,  and  abandon  the  impieties  of  his  idolatrous  wor- 
ship :  observing  to  him,  that  if  he  would  renounce  his 
idolatries,  and  heartily  embrace  the  Christian  faith,  he 
might,  with  him  and  the  members  who  had  believed  in  the 
Son  of  God,  receive  eternal  happiness  in  the  Messiah's 
kingdom. 

The  pro-consul  told  St.  Andrew  he  would  never  em- 
brace the  religion  he  had  mentioned,  and  that  if  he  did 
not  sacrifice  to  the  Gods  (in  order  that  all  those  whom  he 

*  Epirus  was  a  province  of  Greece,  lying  along  tlie  coast  of  the 
Ionian  Sea,  and  having  for  its  bounds  Albania  on  the  north,  Thes- 
saly on  the  south,  Achaia  on  the  south  east,  and  the  ocean  on  the 
west. 

f  Patrea  was  situated  on  an  hill  near  the  sea,  about  ten  miles  from 
the  mouth  of  the  gulph  Lepanto.  The  goddess  Diana  was  wor- 
shipped here  in  the  most  diabolical  manner,  having  a  most  beautiful 
young  man  and  maid,  every  year,  sacrificed  to  her,  till  by  the 
preaching  of  St.  Andrew,  one  Eurypilus,  a  great  man  of  the  place, 
being  converted  to  Christianity,  occasioned  that  barbarous  custom  tq 
be  totallv  laid  aside  , 


220  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

had  seduced  might,  by  his  example,  be  brought  back  to 
the  ancient  religion  they  had  forsaken)  he  would  cause 
him  to  be  immediately  put  to  death.  The  apostle  replied, 
that  he  saw  it  was  in  vain  to  endeavor  to  persuade  a 
person  incapable  of  sober  counsels,  and  hardened  in  his 
own  blindness  and  folly,  to  forsake  his  evil  ways;  and 
that,  with  respect  to  himself,  he  might  act  as  he  pleased, 
and  if  he  had  any  torment  greater  than  another,  he  might 
inflict  it  upon  him;  as  the  stricter  constancy  he  shewed  in 
bis  sufferings  for  Christ,  the  more  acceptable  be  should  be 
to  his  Lord  and  Master,  after  his  departure  from  this 
wicked  world. 

This  so  irritated  iEgenas,  that  he  immediately  con- 
demned him  to  death.  Accordingly,  after  being  scourged, 
in  the  most  unmerciful  manner,  by  seven  lictors,  he  was 
led  away  to  be  crucified.  As  soon  as  he  approached  the 
cross  he  knelt  down,  and  saluted  it  in  words  to  this  effect : 
(i  I  have  long  desired  and  expected  this  happy  hour.  The 
ei  cross  has  been  consecrated  by  the  body  of  Christ  hang- 
"  ing  on  it,  and  adorned  with  his  members  as  with  so 
"  many  inestimable  jewels.  I  therefore  come  joyfully 
(i  and  triumphantly  to  it,  that  it  may  receive  me  as  a  disci- 
"  pie  and  follower  of  Him,  who  once  hung  upon  it,  and 
6i  be  the  means  of  carrying  me  safe  to  my  Master,  being 
"  the  instrument  on  which  he  redeemed  me.77 

After  offering  up  his  prayers  to  the  throne  of  grace,  and 
exhorting  the  people  to  constancy  and  perseverance  in  the 
faith  he  had  delivered  to  them,  he  was  fastened  to  the 
cross,  on  which  he  hung  two  whole  days  teaching  and 
instructing  the  people.  In  the  mean  time  great  interest 
was  made  with  the  pro-consul  to  save  his  life;  but  the 
apostle  earnestly  begged  of  God,  that  he  might  then  de- 
part, and  seal  the  truth  of  his  religion  with  his  blood.  His 
prayers  were  heard,  and  he  soon  after  expired  on  the  last 
day  of  November,  but  in  what  year  is  not  certain. 

The  cross  on  which  he  was  fixed  was  made  of  two 
pieces  of  timber,  crossing  each  other  in  the  middle,  in  the 
shape  of  the  letter  X,  (which  has  ever  since  been  known 
by  the  name  of  St.  Andrew's  Cross  J  and  to  this  he  was 
fastened,  not  with  nails,  but  cords,  to  make  his  death 
more  painful  and  lingering. 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     2£i 

His  body  being  taken  down  from  Che  cross,  was  decent- 
ly and  honorably  interred  by  Mavimilla,  a  lady  of  great! 
quality  and  estate,  and  whom  Nicephorus  tells  us  was 
wife  to  the  pro-consal.  Constantine  the  Great  afterwards 
removed  his  body  to  Constantinople,  and  buried  it  in  the 
great  church  he  had  built  to  the  honor  of  the  apostles. 
This  structure  being  taken  down  some  hundred  years 
after  by  the  emperor  Justinian,  in  order  to  be  rebuilt,  the. 
body  of  St.  Andrew  was  found  in  a  wooden  coffin,  and 
again  deposited  in  the  same  place  it  had  been  before, 
which  was  afterwards  reverenced  by  all  true  professors 
of  the  Christian  religion. 

St.  JAMES  the  Great. 

This  apostle  was  surnamed  the  Great,  to  distinguish 
him  from  that  James  (another  of  the  apostles)  who  was 
bishop  of  Jerusalem.  After  the  ascension  of  the  Blessed 
Jesus  he  preached  to  the  dispersed  Jews;  that  is,  to 
those  converts  who  were  dispersed  after  the  death  of 
Stephen.  He  first  preached  the  Gospel  in  several  parts 
of  Judea  and  Samaria,  after  which  he  visited  Spain, 
where  he  planted  Christianity,  and  appointed  some  select 
disciples  to  perfect  what  he  had  begun. 

After  this  he  returned  to  Judea,  where  he  continued 
preaching,  in  different  parts,  for  some  time,  with  great 
success:  till  at  length  Herod  (who  was  a  bigot  to  the 
Jewish  religion,  and  desirous  of  acquiring  the  favor  of  the 
Jews)  began  a  violent  persecution  against  the  Christians, 
and  to  such  a  degree  did  his  zeal  animate  him,  that,  after 
a  short  trial,  he  ordered  James  to  be  put  to  death. 

As  lie  was  led  to  the  place  of  execution,  the  officer  that 
guarded  him  to  the  tribunal,  or  rather  his  accuser,  having 
been  converted  by  that  remarkable  courage  and  constancy 
shewn  by  the  apostle  at  the  time  of  his  trial,  repented  of 
what  he  had  done,  came  aud  fell  down  at  the  apostle's 
feet,  and  heartily  begged  pardon  for  what  he  had  said 
against  him.  The  holy  man,  after  recovering  from  the 
surprize,  tenderly  embraced  him.  Peace,  said  he,  my  son, 
peace  be  to  thee  and  the  jmrdon  of  thif  faults.  Upon 
which  the  officer  publicly  declared  himself  a  christian,  and 
both  were  beheaded  at  the  same  time. 


%%%  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

Thus  fell  the  great  apostle  St.  James,  taking  cheerful- 
ly that  cup  of  which  he  had  long  before  told  his  Lord  and 
Master  he  was  both  ready  and  willing  to  drink. 

St.  JOHN  the  Evangelist. 

Though  this  apostle  was  by  much  the  youngest  of  the 
whole,  yet  he  was  admitted  into  as  great  a  share  of  his 
Master's  confidence  as  any.  He  was  one  of  those  to  whom 
our  Lord  communicated  the  most  private  passages  of  his 
life;  one  of  those  whom  he  took  with  him  when  he  raised, 
the  daughter  of  Jairus  from  the  dead ;  one  of  those  to 
whom  he  gave  a  specimen  of  his  divinity  in  his  transfigu- 
ration on  the  mount;  one  of  those  who  were  present  at 
his  conference  with  Moses  and  Elijah,  and  heard  that 
voice  which  declared  him  the  beloved  Son  of  God;  and 
one  of  those  who  were  companions  in  his  solitude,  most 
retired  devotions,  and  bitter  agonies  in  the  garden. 

These  instances  of  particular  favor  our  apostle  en- 
deavored, in  some  measure,  to  answer,  by  returns  of  par- 
ticular kindness  and  constancy ;  for  though  he  at  first  de- 
serted his  Master  on  his  apprehension,  yet  he  soon  dis- 
covered the  impropriety  of  his  conduct;  he  therefore  went 
back  to  seek  his  Saviour,  confidently  entered  the  high- 
priest's  hall,  followed,  our  Lord  through  the  several  par- 
ticulars of  his  trial,  and  at  last  waited  on  him  at  his  ex. 
ecution,  owning  Him,  as  well  as  being  owned  by  Him, 
in  the  midst  of  armed  soldiers,  and  in  the  thickest  crowds 
of  his  inveterate  enemies.  Here  it  was  that  our  Great 
Redeemer  committed  to  his  care  his  sorrowful  and  dis- 
consolate mother  with  his  dying  breath.  And  certainly 
our  Blessed  Lord  could  not  have  given  a  more  honorable 
testimony  of  his  particular  kindness  and  respect  to  John, 
than  by  leaving  his  own  mother  to  his  trust  and  care,  and 
substituting  him  to  supply  that  duty  he  himself  paid  her 
while  he  resided  in  this  vale  of  sorrow. 

When  the  apostles  made  a  division  of  the  provinces 
among  them  after  our  Saviour's  ascension  into  heaven,  in 
order  to  circulate  the  doctrine  of  their  Lord  and  Master, 
that  of  Asia  fell  to  the  share  of  St.  John,  though  he  did 
not  immediately  enter  upon  his  charge,  but  continued  at 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     363 

Jerusalem  till  the  death  of  the  Blessed  Virgiu,  which 
happened  about  fifteen  years  after  our  Lord's  ascension. 
After  being  thus  released  from  the  trust  committed  to 
his  care  by  his  dying  Master,  he  went  into  Asia,  and  in- 
dustriously applied  himself  to  the  propagation  of  Christi- 
anity, preaching  where  the  Gospel  had  not  then  been 
known,  and  confirming  it  where  it  was  already  planted. 
Many  churches  of  note  and  eminence  were  founded  by 
him,  particularly  those  of  Smyrna,*  Philadelphia,  Lao- 

*  Some  of  the  fathers  of  the  church  relate  the  following  very 
singular  circumstance,  in  which  St.  John  was  materially  concerned  : 
Being  in  the  Christian  church  at  Smyrna,  he  beheld  a  comely  young 
man  among  the  congregation.  As  he  was  particularly  struck  with 
his  appearance,  he  fervently  recommended  him  to  the  bishop  of 
Smyrna,  in  the  name  of  Christ.  St.  John  went  to  Ephesus,  and  the 
bishop  taking  home  the  young  man,  instructed  him  in  every  Chris- 
tian duty,  and  made  him  a  pastor.  The  youth,  however,  falling  into 
had  company,  grew  debauched,  associated  with  thieves,  and  became 
the  captain  of  a  band  of  robbers.  When  St.  John  came  again  to 
Smyrna,  he  enquired  after  the  young  man;  and  was   told  by  the 

bishop  that  he  was  dead. "  Dead,  (said  he)  of  what  disease  did 

he  die  r"  To  which  the  bishop  replied,  with  tears,  "  He  is  dead  to 
God,  has  turned  not  only  libertine  but  a  thief,  and  has  committed 
many  robberies  and  murders  in  the  neighboring  mountains,  where  he 
commands  a  most  desperate  gang."  The  apostle  was  greatly  af- 
flicted at  this  intelligence,  but  immediately  ordered  a  horse  and 
a  guide  to  conduct  him  to  the  mountains.  Arriving  at  a  very  deso- 
late part,  he  was  suddenly  surrounded  by  a  detachment  of  the  rob- 
bers, who  were  roaming  after  prey.  "  This  is  the  very  thing  I 
wanted,  said  St.  John,  very  calmly,  shew  me  the  way  to  your  cap- 
tain; 'tis  with  him  I  have  business."  And  by  his  venerable  appear- 
ance, for  the  saint  was  now  upwards  of  ninety  years  of  age,  they 
immediately  complied,  and  treated  him  with  a  peculiar  degree  of 
reverence,  for  which  they  could  not  account.  When  the  captain  of 
the  robbers  first  saw  him,  he  darted  a  tierce  look  at  him,  but  in  a 
few  minutes  recollecting  the  holy  apostle,  he  changed  color,  was 
filled  with  confusion,  and  so  overwhelmed  with  shame,  that  he 
hastily  fled.  The  aged  apostle  followed  as  quick  as  possible,  and 
called  to  him  in  these  soothing  words:  "  Stay,  my  son,  why  do  you 
fly  from  your  father,  who  loves  you  ?  Let  not  an  armed  man  fly  from 
one  that  is  unarmed,  a  young  man  from  an  old  man. — Have  pity 
upon  me,  son; — fear  not,  there  is  yet  hope  of  salvation;  I  will 
answer  for  thee  to  Christ,  I  will  die  for  thee,  as  Christ  died  for  us 
all;  I  will,  if  occasion  requires,  give  my  life  for  thee. — Believe  me, 
it  is  Christ  himself  that  hath  sent  me."  On  hearing  these  words, 
the  astonished  robber  stopped — dropped  his  weapons,  stood  mute  for 


£34  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

dicea,  and  others ;  but  his  chief  place  of  residence  was  at 
Ephesus,  where  St.  Paul  had  founded  a  church,  and  con- 
stituted Timothy  bishop. 

After  John  had  spent  several  years  at  Ephesus,  an  ac- 
cusation was  laid  against  hiin  before  the  emperor  Do- 
mitian  (who  had  then  began  a  persecution  against  the 
Christians)  as  being  an  asserter  of  false  doctrine  and  im- 
piety, and  a  public  subverter  of  the  religion  of  the  em- 
pire. In  consequence  of  this,  and  in  conformity  to  the 
orders  of  Domitian,  the  pro-consul  of  Ephesus  sent  him 
bound  to  Rome,  where  he  met  with  that  treatment,  which 
might  have  been  expected  from  so  barbarous  a  prince, 
being  thrown  into  a  cauldron  of  boiling  oil.  But  the  Al- 
mighty, who  reserved  him  for  farther  service  in  the  vine- 
yard of  his  son,  restrained  the  heat,  as  he  did  in  the  fiery 
furnace  of  old,  and  delivered  him  from  this  seemingly 
unavoidable  destruction.  And  surely  one  would  have 
thought  that  so  miraculous  a  deliverance  might  have 
been  sufficient  to  have  persuaded  any  rational  man,  that 
the  religion  he  taught  was  from  God,  and  that  he  was 
protected  from  danger  by  the  hand  of  Omnipotence.  But 
miracles  themselves  were  not  sufficient  to  convince  this 
cruel  emperor,  or  abate  his  fury.  He  ordered  St.  John 
to  be  transported  to  a  disconsolate  island  in  the  Archi- 
pelago, called  Patmos,  where  he  continued  several  years 
instructing  the  poor  inhabitants  in  the  knowledge  of  the 
Christian  faith ;  and  here,  about  the  end  of  Domitian's 
reign,  he  wrote  his  book  of  Revelations,  exhibiting  by 

some  time,  and  at  length  bursting  into  tears,  he  ran  and  embraced 
the  apostle,  but  at  the  same  time  covered  his  right  baud  which  had 
committed  murder,  that  it  should  not  touch  the  holy  man.  St.  John, 
however,  told  him,  that  if  he  sincerely  repented,  Christ  would  par- 
don him,  pointed  out  several  texts  of  scripture  to  confirm  what  he 
said,  prayed  for  him  heartily,  and  even  kissed  his  murdering  hand, 
which  he  assured  him  would  be  forgiven  on  his  real  repentance. 
The  robber  now  became  a  second  time  a  convert,  but  with  better 
success  than  at  first,  for  he  continued  steadfast  in  his  faith,  and  in  the 
practice  of  every  virtue  till  bis  deatb.  Another  advantage  accrued 
from  his  second  conversion  ;  his  companions,  and  associates  in  wick- 
edness, struck  by  his  example,  and  persuaded  by  his  discourses,  re- 
formed their  lives,  embraced  the  Christian  faith,  and  became  useful 
members  of  society. 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OT  CHRISTIANITY.    223 

visions,  and  prophetical  representations,  the  state  and 

condition  of  Christianity  that  would  take  place  in  the 
future  periods  and  ages  of  the  chnrch. 

On  the  death  of  Domitian,  and  the  succession  of  Narva. 
(Who  repealed  all  the  odious  acts  of  his  predecessors,  and 
by  public  edicts  recalled  those  whom  the  fury  of  Domi- 
tian had  banished)  St.  John  returned  to  Asia,  and  again 
fixed  his  residence  at  Ephesus.  on  account  of  Timothy 
their  bishop  having  some  time  before  been  put  to  death 
by  the  people  of  that  city.  Here,  with  the  assistance  of 
seven  other  bishops,  lie  took  upon  himself  the  govern- 
ment of  the  large  diocese  of  Asia  Minor,  and  disposed  of 
the  clergy  in  the  best  manner  he  could,  spending  his  time 
in  au  indefatigable  execution  of  his  charge,  travelling 
from  one  part  to  another,  and  instructing  the  people  in 
the  principles  of  that  holy  religion  he  was  sent  to  propa- 
gate. 

In  this  manner  did  John  continue  to  spend  his  lime  till 
death  put  a  period  to  his  labors,  which  happened  in  the 
beginning  of  the  reign  of  the  emperor  Trajan.  His  re- 
mains were  deposited  in  the  city  of  Ephesus,  where 
several  of  the  fathers  observe,  that  his  tomb,  in  their  time, 
was  remaining  in  a  church,  which  was  built  to  his  honor, 
and  called  by  his  name.  He  was  the  only  apostle  who 
escaped  a  violent  death;  notwithstanding  which  he  is 
deemed  a  martyr,  on  account  of  his  having  undergone  the 
mode  of  an  execution,  though  it  did  not  take  efiect.  He 
lived  the  longest  of  any  of  the  apostles,  being  near  an 
hundred  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  death;  and  the 
church  commemorates  the  57th  day  of  December  to  his 
memory. 

St.  John,  having  been  brought  up  to  the  business  of  a 
fisherman,  never  received  a  liberal  education;  but  what 
was  wanting  from  human  art  was  abundantly  supplied  by 
the  excellent  constitution  of  his  mind,  and  that  fulness 
of  Divine  grace  with  which  he  was  adorned.  His  humil- 
ity was  admirable,  always  studiously  concealing  what- 
ever tended  to  bis  own  honor.  In  his  epistles  he  never 
stiles  himself  either  Apostle  or  Evangelist;  the  title  of 
presbyter,  or  elder,  is  all  he  assumes,  and  probably  as 
much  in  regard  to  his  age  as  bis  office.    In  his  Gospel, 

voi.  iv.        F  f 


2£fl  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

when  he  speaks  of  the  disciple  idiom  Jesus  loved,  he  con^ 
ceals  his  own  name,  leaving  the  reader  to  discover  who 
he  meant.  He  practised  charity  to  the  utmost  extent,  and 
affectionately  recommended  it  to  all  mankind.  This  (and 
the  love  of  our  neighbor)  is  the  great  vein  that  runs 
through  all  his  writings,  more  especially  his  Epistles, 
wherein  he  urges  it  as  the  great  and  peculiar  law  of 
Christianity,  and  without  which  all  pretensions  to  our 
Blessed  Saviour  are  vain  and  frivolous;  useless  aud  in- 
signiticant.  When  age  and  the  infirmities  of  nature  had 
rendered  him  so  weak,  that  he  was  unable  to  preach  to 
the  people  any  longer,  he  was  led  at  every  public  meeting, 
to  the  church  at  Ephesus,  where  he  generally  addressed 
himself  to  the  people  in  these  words:  Little  children,  love 
one  another.  When  his  hearers,  tired  with  the  constant 
repetition  of  the  same  thing,  asked  him  the  reason  of  it, 
he  told  them,  that  to  love  one  another  was  the  command 
of  our  Blessed  Saviour. 

The  greatest  instance  of  our  apostle's  care  for  the  souls 
of  men,  is  displayed  in  the  inimitable  writings  he  left  to 
posterity.  The  first  of  which  in  point  of  time,  though 
placed  last  in  the  sacred  canon,  is  his  Apocalypse,  or 
book  of  revelations,  which  he  wrote  during  his  banish- 
ment in  the  island  of  Patmos. 

Next  to  the  Apocalypse,  in  order  of  time,  are  his  three 
epistles,  the  first  of  which  is  catholic,  calculated  for  all 
times  and  places,  containing  the  most  excellent  rules  for 
the  conduct  of  a  Christian  life,  pressing  to  holiness  and 
pureness  of  manners,  and  not  to  be  satisfied  with  a  naked 
and  empty  profession  of  religion,  not  to  be  led  away  with 
the  crafty  insinuation  of  seducers,  and  cautioning  men 
against  the  poisonous  principles  and  practices  of  the 
Gnostics.  The  apostle  here,  according  to  his  usual  modes- 
ty, conceals  his  name,  it  being  of  more  consequence  to  a 
wise  man  what  is  said  than  who  says  it.  It  appears 
from  St.  Augustine,  that  this  Epistle  was  anciently  in- 
scribed to  the  ParthianSji  because,  in  all  probability,  St. 
John  preached  the  Gospel  in  Parthia.  The  other  two 
Epistles  are  but  short,  and  directed  to  particular  persons  ; 
the  ore  to  a  woman  of  honorable  quality,  encouraging 
her  and  her  children  to  charity,  to  perseverance  in  good 


works,  and  to  shew  no  countenance  to  false  teachers  and 
deceivers.  The  other  Epistle  is  directed  to  the  charitable 
and  hospitable  Gains,  the  kindest  friend,  and  the  most 
courteous  entertainer  of  all  indigent  Christians. 

Before  he  undertook  the  task  of  writing  his  Gospel.,  he 
caused  a  general  fast  to  be  kept  in  all  the  churches 
throughout  Asia,  to  implore  the  blessing  of  heaven  on  so 
great  and  momentous  an  undertaking.  When  this  was 
done  he  set  about  the  work,  and  completed  it  in  so  ex- 
cellent and  sublime  a  manner,  that  the  ancients  generally 
compared  him  to  an  eagle  soaring  aloft  among  the  clouds, 
whither  the  meek  eye  of  man  was  not  able  to  follow  him. 

St.  Paul,  in  speaking  of  the  writings  of  this  apostle, 
says,  "  Among  all  the  evangelical  writers,  none  are  like 
St.  John  for  the  sublimity  of  his  speech,  and  the  height 
of  his  discourses,  which  are  beyond  any  man's  capacity 
fully  to  reach  and  comprehend.7'  This  is  corroborated 
by  Epiphanius,  who  says,  "  St.  John,  by  a  loftiness  and 
speech  peculiar  to  himself,  acquaints  us,  as  it  were  out 
of  the  clouds  and  dark  recesses  of  wisdom,  with  the  Di- 
vine doctrine  of  the  Son  of  God." 

Such  is  the  character  given  of  the  writings  of  this  great 
apostle  and  evangelist,  who  was  honored  with  the  en- 
dearing title  of  being  the  beloved  disciple  of  the  Son  of 
God ;  a  writer  so  profound  as  to  deserve,  by  way  of  emi- 
nence, the  character  of  St.  John  the  Divine. 

St.  PHILIP. 

In  the  distribution  made  by  the  apostles  of  the  several 
regions  of  the  world  in  which  they  were  to  preach  the 
Gospel  after  our  Lord's  ascension,  the  Upper  Asia  fell 
to  Philip,  where  he  labored  with  the  most  indefatigable 
diligence  to  propagate  the  doctrine  of  his  Master  in  those 
parts.  From  the  constancy  and  power  of  his  preaching, 
and  the  efficacy  pf  his  miracles,  he  gained  numerous  con- 
verts, whom  he  baptized  in  the  Christian  faith,  curing  at 
once  their  bodies  of  infirmities  and  distempers,  and  their 
souls  of  errors  and  idolatry.  Here  he  continued  a  con- 
siderable time,  and,  before  he  left  the  place,  settled  the 
churches,  and  appointed  guides  and  ministers  over  those 
whom  he  had  converted, 


#&8  l'ROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

After  Philip  had,  for  several  years,  successfully  ex- 
ercised his  apostolic  office  in  Upper  Asia,  he  went  to 
Hierapolis  in  Phrygia,  a  city  remarkably  rich  and  popu- 
lous, but  at  the  same  time  over-run  with  the  most  enor- 
mous idolatry.  Philip  was  greatly  grieved  to  see  the 
people  so  wretchedly  enslaved  by  error  and  superstition  : 
he  therefore  repeatedly  oifered  up  his  prayers  to  heaven 
in  their  behalf,  till,  by  his  prayers,  and  often  calling  on 
the  name  of  Christ,  he  procured  the  death,  or  at  least  the 
vanishing,  of  a  dragon,  or  enormous  serpent,  to  which 
they  paid  adoration. 

Having  thus  demolished  their  deity,  Philip  clearly  de- 
monstrated to  them  how  ridiculous  and  unjust  it  was  to 
pay  divine  honors  to  such  odious  creatures :  he  told  them 
that  God  alone  was  to  be  worshipped  as  the  great  parent 
of  all  the  world,  who,  in  the  beginning,  made  men  after 
his  glorious  image,  and  when  fallen  from  that  innocent 
and  happy  state,  sent  his  ovvu  Son  into  the  world  to  re- 
deem them.  That,  in  order  to  perform  this  glorious 
work,  he  died  on  the  cross,  and  rose  again  from  the  dead, 
and  at  the  end  of  the  world  would  come  again  to  raise 
all  the  sons  of  men  from  the  chambers  of  the  dust,  and 
either  sentence  them  to  everlasting  punishment,  or  reward 
them  with  everlasting  felicity. 

This  discourse  roused  them  from  their  lethargy;  inso- 
much that  great  numbers,  being  ashamed  of  their  idolatry, 
immediately  forsook  it,  and  embraced  the  doctrine  of  the 
Gospel.  But  the  success  attending  Philip's  endeavors 
proved  fatal  to  him.  The  magistrates  were  so  incensed 
at  his  having  obtained  such  a  number  of  converts  that 
they  resolved  to  put  an  effectual  stop  to  his  proceedings. 
They  accordingly  ordered  him  to  be  seized,  and  thrown 
into  prison,  from  whence,  after  being  severely  scourged, 
he  was  led  to  execution,  and  put  to  death,  the  manner  of 
which,  according  to  some,  was,  by  being  hanged  against 
a  pillar,  and,  according  to  others,  by  crucifixion. 

As  soon  as  he  was  dead,  his  body  was  taken  down  by 
Bartholomew,  his  fellow-laborer  in  the  Gospel,  and 
Mariamne  his  sister,  the  constant  companion  of  his  travels, 
and  decently  interred  in  a  private  place  near  the  city ; 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     229 

both  of  whom,  for  performing  this  friendly  office,  barely 
escaped  with  their  lives. 

The  martyrdom  of  St.  Philip  happened  about  eight 
years  after  that  of  St.  James  the  (neat:  and  his  name, 
together  with  that  of  St.  James  the  Less,  is  commem- 
orated on  the  first  of  May. 

St.  BARTHOLOMEW. 

This  apostle  is  mentioned  among  the  immediate  disci- 
ples of  our  Lord  under  the  appellation  of  Bartholomew, 
though  it  is  evident,  from  divers  passages  in  scripture^ 
that  he  was  also  called  Nathaniel.* 

After  our  Lord's  ascension  into  heaven,  Bartholomew 
visited  different  parts  of  the  Avorld,  in  order  to  propagate 
the  Gospel  of  his  Master,  and  at  length  penetrated  as  far 
as  the  Hither  India.  Here  he  remained  a  considerable 
time,  and  then  went  to  Hierapolis  in  Phrygia,  where  he 
labored  (in  conjunction  with  Philip)  to  plaut  Christianity 
in  those  parts ;  and  to  convince  the  blind  idolaters  of  the 
evil  of  their  ways,  and  direct  them  in  the  paths  which 
lead  to  eternal  salvation.  This  enraging  the  bigotted 
magistrates,  they  sentenced  Bartholomew  to  death,  and 

*  That  Nathaniel  and  Bartholomew  were  only  two  names  for  one 
and  the  same  person,  the  one  his  proper,  and  the  other  his  relative 
name,  is  beyond  all  doubt;  but  then  the  question  is,  upon  what  ac> 
connt  it  was,  that  he  had  his  relative  name  conferred  on  him.  That 
several  sects  in  the  Jewish  church,  denominated  themselves  from 
some  famous  person  of  that  nation  (as  the  Essenes  did  from  Enoch, 
and  the  Sadducees  from  Sadoc)  cannot  he  denied;  and  therefore,  if 
we  may  suppose  that  there  were  others,  who  called  themselves 
Tholmrcans,  from  Tholmai,  scholar  to  Heber,  the  ancient  master  of 
the  Hebrews,  who  flourished  in  Debir  and  Hebron,  it  will  be  no  hard 
matter  to  make  Nathaniel  of  this  order  and  institution,  and  there- 
upon to  give  him  the  name  of  Bartholomew,  i.  e.  a  scholar  of  the 
Tholmseans,  and  so  create  him  (as  he  is  said  to  have  been)  a  doctor 
of  the  Jewish  law.  But  an  easier  explanation  of  this  matter  will 
appear  from  the  following  observations  That,  as  the  first  syllable  of 
his  name  signifies  a  Son,  the  word  Bar-tholomew  will  import  no 
more,  than  the  Son  of  Tholomew,  or  Tholmai,  which  was  no  un- 
common name  among  the  Jews.  And,  that  it  was  an  usual  thing 
among  them,  for  the  son  thus  to  derive  his  name,  is  evident  from  the 
instance  of  Bar-tinii'jus.  which  is  interpreted  the  Son  ofTimseus, 
Mark  x.  46,  and  that  of  Bar-jona,  Matth.  xvi.  17.  which  St.  John 
makes  the  same  with  Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  John,  xxi.  15. 


£30  FyltOM   THE   ASCENSION   OF    CHRIST, 

he  was  accordingly  fastened  to  a  cross ;  but  their  con- 
sciences staring  them  in  their  faces  for  the  iniquity  they 
were  about  to  commit,  they  ordered  him  to  be  taken 
down,  and  set  at  liberty. 

In  consequence  of  this  our  apostle  left  Hiei'apolis,  and 
went  to  Lycaonia,  where  he  obtained  a  great  number  of 
converts,  whom  he  instructed  and  trained  up  in  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Christian  religion.  From  Lycaonia  he  went 
to  Albania,  a  city  on  the  Caspian  Sea,  a  place  miserably 
over-run  with  idolatry,  from  which  he  labored  hard  to 
reclaim  the  people.  But  his  endeavors  to  turn  them  from 
darkness  unto  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto 
God,  instead  of  proving  effectual,  only  procured  his 
destruction.  The  magistrates  were  so  incensed  against 
him,  that  they  prevailed  on  the  governor  to  order  him  to 
be  put  to  death,  which  was  accordingly  done  with  the 
most  distinguished  cruelty.  It  is  the  general  opinion  of 
most  writers,  that  he  was  first  severely  beaten  with 
sticks,  then  crucified,  afterwards  flayed  while  still  alive, 
and,  lastly,  that  his  head  was  severed  from  his  body. 
The  anniversary  of  his  martyrdom  is  kept  on  the  21th  of 
August,  the  day  on  which  he  cheerfully  resigned  himself 
in  defence  of  the  doctrine  of  his  great  Lord  and  Master. 

St.  MATTHEW. 

During  the  first  eight  years  after  our  Blessed  Lord's 
ascension  into  heaven,  Matthew  continued  to  preach  the 
Gospel  with  great  assiduity  in  different  parts  of  Judea; 
after  which  he  left  the  country  of  Palestine  in  order  to 
convert  the  Gentile  world.  But  before  his  departure,  at 
the  earnest  solicitation  of  the  Jewish  converts  in  Judea, 
he  wrote  the  History  of  the  life  and  actions  of  the  Blessed 
Jesus;  which  he  left  among  them  as  a  standing  monu- 
ment of.  what  he  had  so  often  delivered  to  them  in  his 
sermons. 

After  Matthew  left  Judea,  he  travelled  into  various 
parts,  but  the  particular  places  he  visited  are  not  certain- 
ly known.  However,  after  laboring  indefatigably  in  the 
vineyard  of  his  Master,  he  suffered  martyrdom  at  a  city 
called  Nadabar  in  Ethiopia ;  but  the  particular  manner  of 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  C^F  CHRISTIANITY.      231 

his  death  is  not  certainly  known,  though  it  is  the  general 
conceived  opinion  that  he  was  slain  with  an  halbert.  His 
martyrdom  is  commemorated  by  the  church  on  the  21st 
day  of  September. 

St.  Matthew  was  a  remarkable  instance  of  the  power 
of  religion,  in  bringing  men  to  a  proper  temper  of  mind. 
If  we  reflect  upon  his  circumstances  while  he  continued 
a  stranger  to  the  great  Redeemer  of  mankind,  we  shall 
find  that  the  love  of  the  world  had  possessed  his  heart. 
But  notwithstanding  this,  no  sooner  did  Christ  call  him, 
than  he  abandoned,  without  the  least  scruple  or  hesita- 
tion, all  his  riches;  nay,  he  not  only  renounced  his  lucra- 
tive trade,  but  ran  the  greatest  hazards  of  displeasing  the 
masters  who  employed  him,  for  quitting  their  service 
without  giving  them  the  least  notice,  and  leaving  his  ac- 
counts in  confusion.  Had  our  Blessed  Saviour  appeared 
as  a  secular  prince,  clothed  with  temporal  power  and 
authority,  it  would  have  been  no  wonder  for  him  to  have 
gone  over  to  his  service;  but  when  he  appeared  under  all 
the  circumstances  of  poverty,  when  he  seemed  to  promise 
his  followers  nothing  but  misery  and  sufferings,  in  this 
life,  and  to  propose  no  other  rewards  than  the  invisible 
encouragements  of  another  world,  his  change  appears 
truly  wonderful  and  surprizing — but  Divine  grace  can 
subdue  all  opposition. 

His  contempt  of  the  world  was  fully  manifested  in  his 
exemplary  temperance  and  abstemiousness  from  all  de- 
lights and  pleasures ;  insomuch,  that  he  even  refused  the 
ordinary  conveniencies  and  accommodations  of  life.  He 
waa  remarkably  modest  in  the  opinion  he  entertained  of 
himself,  always  giving  the  preference  to  others,  even 
though  their  abilities  were  not  so  conspicuous  as  his  own. 
The  rest  of  the  evangelists  are  careful  to  mention  the 
honor  of  his  apostleship,  but  speak  of  his  former  sordid, 
dishonest,  and  disgraceful  course  of  life,  only  under  the 
name  of  Levi;  while  he  himself  sets  it  down  with  all  its 
circumstances,  under  his  own  proper  and  common  name. 
A  conduct  which  at  once  commends  the  prudence  and 
candor  of  the  apostle,  and  suggests  to  us  this  useful  re- 
flection, That  the  greatest  sinners  are  not  excluded  from 
Divine  grace;  nor  can  any,  if  penitent,  have  just  reason 


232  FROM   THE   ASCENSION   OF   CHRIST, 

to  despair,  when  publicans  and  sinners  find  mercy  at  the 
throne  of  grace. 

The  Gospel  which  St.  Matthew  wrote  at  the  iutreaty 
of  the  Jewish  converts,  before  he  left  Judca,  was  penned 
in  the  Hebrew  language,  but  soon  after  translated  into 
Greek  by  one  of  his  disciples.  After  the  Greek  transla- 
tion was  admitted,  the  Hebrew  copy  was  chiefly  owned 
and  used  by  the  Nazarsei,  a  middle  sect  between  Jews 
and  Christians;  with  the  former  they  adhered  to  the  rites 
and  ceremonies  of  the  Mosaic  law,  and  with  the  latter 
they  believed  in  Christ,  and  embraced  his  religion;  and 
hence  this  Gospel  has  been  styled  The  Gospel  according 
to  the  Hebrews,  and  The  Gospel  of  the  Nazarenes. 

St.  THOMAS. 

The  apostle  Thomas,  after  our  Lord's  ascension,  con^ 
tinued  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  various  parts  of  Judea; 
till  at  length,  being  interrupted  by  the  dispersion  of  the 
Christian  church  in  Jerusalem,  he  repaired  into  Parthia, 
the  province  assigned  him  for  his  ministry.  He  after- 
wards preached  the  Gospel  to  the  Medes,  Persians, 
Carmans,  Hyrcani,  Braciarians,  and  the  neighboring 
nations.  During  his  preaching  in  Persia,  he  is  said  to 
have  met  with  the  magi,  or  wise  men,  who  had  taken 
that  long  journey  at  our  Saviour's  birth  to  worship  him, 
whom  he  baptized,  and  took  with  him,  as  his  companions 
and  assistants  in  propagating  the  Gospel. 

Leaving  Persia  he  travelled  into  Ethiopia,  preaching 
the  glad  tidings  of  the  Gospel,  healing  the  sick,  and 
working  other  miracles,  to  prove  he  had  his  commission 
from  on  high. 

After  travelling  through  these  countries,  he  entered 
India,  and  went  first  to  Socotora,  an  island  in  the  Ara- 
bian sea,  and  then  to  Cranganor,  from  whence,  having 
converted  many  from  the  error  of  their  ways,  he  travelled 
further  into  the  east.  Having  successfully  preached  the 
Gospel  here,  he  returned  back  to  the  kingdom  of  Coro- 
mandel,  where  at  Malipur,  the  metropolis  of  the  king- 
dom, not  far  from  the  mouth  of  the  Ganges,  he  began  to 
erect  a  place  for  Hivine  worship,  but  was  interrupted  by 


rO  THE  FL'I.I.  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     233 

the  idolatrous  priests,  and  Sagamo,  prince  of  the  country. 
However,  after  lie  had  performed  several  miracles,  he 
was  suffered  to  proceed  in  the  work,  and  Sagamo  him- 
self embraced  the  Christian  faith,  whose  example  Mas 
soon  followed  by  great  numbers  of  his  friends  and 
subjects. 

This  remarkable  success  alarmed  the  Brachmans.  who 
plainly  perceived  that  their  religion  would  be  soon  extir- 
pated unless  some  method  could  be  found  of  putting  a 
stop  to  the  progress  of  Christianity:  they  therefore  re- 
solved to  put  the  apostle  to  death.  At  a  small  distance 
from  the  city  was  a  tomb,  whither  St.  Thomas  often  re- 
tired for  private  devotion :  hither  the  Brachmans  and 
their  armed  followers  pursued  him,  and  while  he  was  at 
prayer,  they  first  threw  at  him  a  shower  of  darts,  after 
which  one  of  the  priests  ran  him  through  the  body  with 
a  lance.  His  corpse  was  taken  up  by  his  disciples,  and 
buried  in  the  church  he  had  caused  to  be  erected,  and 
which  was  afterwards  improved  into  a  fabric  of  very 
great  magnificence.  His  martyrdom  is  commemorated  on 
the  21st  of  December. 

St.  Chrysostom  says,  that  St.  Thomas,  who  at  first 
wras  the  weakest  and  most  incredulous  of  all  the  apostles, 
became,  through  Christ's  condescension  to  satisfy  his 
scruples,  and  the  power  of  the  Divine  grace,  the  most 
active  and  invincible  of  them  all;  travelling  over  most 
parts  of  the  world,  and  living  without  fear  in  the  midst  of 
barbarous  nations,  through  the  efficacy  of  that  Almighty 
power,  which  can  make  the  weakest  vessels  to  perform 
acts  of  the  greatest  difficulty  and  moment. 

St.  SIMON,  commonly  called  the  Zealot. 

This  apostle,  in  the  catalogue  of  our  Lord's  chosen  dis- 
ciples, is  stiled  Simon  the  Canaanite,  from  whence  some 
are  of  opinion  that  he  was  born  at  Cana  in  Galilee ;  and  it 
is  generally  thought  that  he  was  the  bridegroom  mentioned 
by  St.  John  at  whose  marriage  our  Blessed  Saviour  turn- 
ed the  water  into  wine. 

The  name  of  this  apostle  is  derived  from  the  Hebrew 
word  knah  which  signifies  zeal,  aud  denotes  a  warm  and 

voi.  iv.        G  a 


234  EEOM  THE  ASCENSION  OF   CHRIST, 

sprightly  disposition.  He  did  not,  however,  acquire  this 
name  from  his  ardent  affection  to  his  Master,  and  the  de- 
sire of  advancing  his  religion  in  the  world,  but  from  his 
zealous  attachment  to  a  particular  sect  of  religion  before 
he  became  acquainted  with  his  great  Lord  and  Master. 

In  order  to  explain  this  matter  more  clearly  to  the  un- 
derstanding of  our  readers,  it  is  necessary  to  observe, 
that  as  there  were  several  sects  and  parties  among  the 
Jews,  so  there  was  one,  either  a  distinct  sect,  or  at  least 
a  branch  of  the  Pharisees,  called  the  sect  of  the  Zealots. 
This  sect  took  upon  them  to  inflict  punishments  in  extra- 
ordinary cases ;  and  that  not  only  by  the  connivance,  but 
with  the  leave  both  of  the  rulers  and  people,  till,  in  pro- 
cess of  time,  their  zeal  degenerated  into  all  kinds  of  licen- 
tiousness and  wild  extravagance;  and  they  not  only  be- 
came the  pests  of  the  commonwealth  in  their  own  territo- 
ries, but  were  likewise  hated  by  the  people  of  those  parts 
which  belonged  to  the  Romans.  They  were  continually 
urging  the  people  to  shake  off  the  Roman  yoke  and  assert 
their  natural  liberty,  taking  care,  when  they  had  thrown, 
all  things  into  confusion,  to  make  their  own  advantage  of 
the  consequences  arising  therefrom.  Josephus  gives  a 
very  long  and  particular  account  of  them,  throughout  the 
whole  of  which  he  repeatedly  represents  them  as  the 
great  plague  of  the  Jewish  nation.  Various  attempts  were 
made,  especially  by  Ananas  the  high-priest,  to  reduce 
them  to  order,  and  oblige  them  to  observe  the  rules  of  so- 
briety; but  all  endeavors  proved  ineffectual.  They  con- 
tinued their  violent  proceedings,  and,  joining  with  the 
Idumeans,  committed  every  kind  of  outrage.  They  broke 
into  the  sanctuary,  slew  the  priests  themselves  before  the 
altar,  and  filled  the  streets  of  Jerusalem  with  tumults,  ra- 
pine and  blood.  Nay,  when  Jerusalem  was  closely  be- 
sieged by  the  Roman  army,  they  continued  their  detesta- 
ble proceedings,  creating  fresh  tumults  and  factions,  and 
were  indeed  the  principal  cause  of  the  ill  success  of  tlitv 
Jews  in  that  fatal  war. 

This  is  a  true  account  of  the  sect  of  the  Zealots ;  though, 
whatever  St.  Simon  was  before,  we  have  no  reason  to 
suspect  but  that  after  his  conversion  he  was  very  zealous 
for  the  honor  of  his  Master,  and  considered  all  those  who 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHBISTIAXITY.    335 

were  enemies  to  Christ  as  enemies  to  himself,  however 
near  they  might  be  to  him  in  any  natural  relation.  As  he 
was  very  exact  in  all  the  practical  duties  of  the  Christian 
religion,  so  he  shewed  a  very  serious  and  pious  indigna- 
tion towards  those  who  professed  religion,  and  a  faith  in 
Christ  with  their  mouths,  but  dishonored  their  sacred  pro- 
fession by  their  irregular  and  vicious  lives,  as  many  of  the 
first  professing  Christians  really  did. 

St.  Simon  continued  in  commuuion  with  the  rest  of  the 
apostles  and  disciples  at  Jerusalem;  and  at  the  feast  of 
Pentecost  received  t!.-2  same  miraculous  gifts  of  the  Holy 
(J host;  so  that  he  was  qualified  with  the  rest  of  his 
brethren  for  the  apostolic  office.  In  propagating  the 
Gospel  of  the  Son  of  God,  we  cannot  doubt  of  his  exer- 
cising his  gifts  with  the  same  zeal  and  fidelity,  as  his 
fellow  apostles,  though  in  what  part  of  the  world  is  un- 
certain ;  some  say  lie  went  into  Egypt,  Cyrenc  and 
Africa,  preaching  the  Gospel  to  the  inhabitants  of  those 
remote  and  barbarous  countries;  and  others  add,  that 
after  he  had  passed  through  those  burning  wastes,  he 
preached  the  Gospel  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  western 
parts,  and  even  in  Britain ;  where,  having  converted  great 
multitudes,  and  sustained  the  greatest  hardships  and  per- 
secutions, he  was  at  last  crucified,  and  buried  in  some 
part  of  that  island ;  but  the  exact  place  where  is  unknown. 
The  church,  joining  him  with  St.  Jude,  commemorate  his 
memory  on  the  2  3th  of  October. 

St.  JUDE. 

It  is  very  observable  of  this  apostle,  that  the  Evan- 
gelists commonly  call  him,  not  Jude,  but  either  Thaddseus 
or  Labba?us;  the  reason  of  which,  in  all  human  probabili- 
ty, is  from  the  particular  dislike  they  had  to  the  name 
which  was  so  nearly  similar  to  that  of  the  base  and  per- 
fidious Judas  Iscariot,  who  treacherously  sold  and  be- 
trayed his  Master. 

Jude  was  brother  to  James  the  Less,  afterwards  bishop 
of  Jerusalem,  being  the  son  of  Joseph  by  a  former  wife. 
It  is  not  known  when  or  by  what  means  he  became  a  dis- 
ciple of  our  Blessed  Saviour,  there  not  being  any  thing 


S3b'  FROM    THE    ASCENSION    OF    CHRIST, 

said  of  him,  till  we  find  him  in  the  catalogue  of  the 
twelve  apostles;  nor  afterwards  till  Christ's  Last  Supper, 
when  discoursing  with  them  about  his  departure,  and 
comforting  them  with  a  promise,  that  he  would  return  to 
them  again,  meaning  after  his  resurrection  from  the  dead. 

The  sacred  records  are  so  very  short  in  their  accounts 
of  this  apostle,  that  we  must  be  beholden  to  other  ecclesi- 
astical writers,  for  information  relative  to  his  conduct 
after  the  ascension  of  our  Blessed  Lord  into  heaven. 
Paulinos  tells  us,  that  the  part  which  fell  to  his  share  in 
the  apostolic  division  of  the  provinces,  was  Lybia,  but  he 
does  not  tell  us  whether  it  was  the  Cyrcnian  Lybia, 
which  is  thought  to  have  received  the  (Gospel  from  St. 
Mark,  or  the  more  southern  parts  of  Africa.  But  how- 
ever that  he,  in  his  first  setting  out  to  preach  the  Gospel, 
he  travelled  up  and  down  Judea  and  Galilee;  then 
through  Samaria  into  Iduuiea,  and  to  the  cities  of  Arabia 
and  the  neighboring  countries,  and  afterwards  to  Syria 
and  Mesopotamia.  Nicephorus  adds,  that  he  came  at 
last  to  Edessa,  where  Abagarus  governed,  and  where 
Thaddeus,  one  of  the  seventy,  had  already  sown  the 
seeds  of  the  Gospel.  Here  he  perfected  what  the  other 
had  begun;  and  having  by  his  sermons  and  miracles  es- 
tablished the  religion  of  Jesus,  he  died  in  peace;  but 
others  say  that  he  was  slain  at  Berites,  and  honorably 
buried  there.  The  writers  of  the  Latin  church  are 
unanimous  in  declaring,  that  he  travelled  into  Persia, 
where,  after  great  success  in  his  apostolical  ministry  for 
many  years,  he  was  at  last,  for  his  freely  and  openly  re- 
proving the  superstitious  rites  and  customs  of  the  Magi, 
cruelly  put  to  death. 

St.  Jude  wrote  only  one  epistle,  which  is  placed  the 
last  of  those  seven,  stiled  catholic,  in  the  sacred  canon.  It 
has  no  particular  inscription,  as  the  other  six  have,  but  is 
thought  to  have  been  primarily  intended  for  the  Christian 
Jews  in  their  several  dispersions,  as  were  the  epistles  of 
the  apostle  Peter.  In  it  he  informs  them,  "  that  he  at  first 
"  intended  to  have  wrote  to  them  concerning  the  common 
li  salvation,  in  oriler  to  confirm  them  in  their  belief; 
"  but,  finding  the  doctrine  of  Christ  attacked  on  all  sides 
{i  by  heretics,  he  thought  it  more  necessary  to  exhort  them 


TO  THE  Fl'LL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     2*7 

u  to  stand  up  manfully  in  defence  of  the  faith  once  dv- 
*•  livered  to  the  saints,  and  to  oppose  those  false  teachers, 
"  w  ho  so  earnestly  labored  to  corrupt  them ;  and  that  they 
'•  might  know  these  the  better,  he  describes  them  in  their 
"  proper  colors,  and  foretels  their  future,  if  not  impending 
"  danger;  but,  at  the  same  time,  he  endeavors  to  exhort 
ii  them,  by  all  gentle  methods  to  save  them,  and  to  take 
'*  them  out  of  the  jive  into  which  their  own  folly  had  cast 
"  them." 

It  was  some  time  before  this  epistle  was  generally  re- 
ceived in  the  church.  The  author  indeed,  like  St.  James, 
St.  John,  and  sometimes  St.  Paul,  does  not  call  himself 
an  apostle,  but  only  the  servant  of  Christ.  liut  he  has 
added  what  is  equivalent,  Jude  the  brother  of  James,  a 
character  which  can  only  belong  to  himself;  and  surely 
the  humility  of  a  follower  of  Christ  should  be  no  objection 
to  his  writings. 

St.  MATTHIAS. 

Matthias  was  one  of  the  seventy  disciples  whom  our 
Blessed  Lord  made  choice  of  to  assist  him  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  public  ministry.  After  his  death  Matthias 
was  elected  into  the  apostleship,  to  supply  the  place  of 
Judas,  who  was  so  struck  with  remorse  at  having  betray- 
ed his  Master,  as  to  put  a  period  to  his  own  existence. 

After  our  Lord's  ascension  into  heaven,  Matthias  spent 
the  first  year  of  his  ministry  in  Judea,  where  lie  was  so 
successful  as  to  bring  over  a  prodigious  number  of  people 
to  the  Christian  faith.  From  Judea  he  travelled  into  other 
countries,  and,  proceeding  eastward,  came  at  length  to 
Ethiopia.  Here  he  likewise  made  many  converts,  but  the 
inhabitants  in  general  being  of  a  fierce  and  untractable 
temper,  resolved  to  take  away  his  life,  which  they  effected 
by  first  stoning  him,  and  then  severing  his  head  from  his 
body.  The  anniversary  of  his  martyrdom  is  kept  in  the 
Christian  church  on  the  21th  of  February. 

« 

St.  MARK. 

In  the  dispersion  of  the  apostles  for  propagating  the 
Gospel  in  different  parts  of  the  world,  after  our  Lord"* 


238  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST; 

ascension  into  heaven,  St.  Mark  was,  by  Peter,  sent  iuto 
Egypt,  where  he  soon  planted  a  church  in  Alexandria, 
the  metropolis;  and  such  was  his  success,  that  he  con- 
verted prodigious  multitudes  of  people,  both  men  and 
women,  to  the  Christian  religion. 

St.  Mark  did  not  coufine  himself  to  Alexandria,  and 
the  oriental  parts  of  Egypt,  but  removed  westward  to 
Lybia,  passing  through  the  countries  of  Marmarcia,  Pen- 
tapolis,  and  others  adjacent,  where,  though  the  people 
were  both  barbarous  in  their  manners,  and  idolatrous  in 
their  worship,  yet  by  Ids  preaching  and  miracles  he  pre- 
vailed on  them  to  embrace  the  tenets  of  the  gospel;  nor 
did  lie  leave  them  till  he  had  confirmed  them  in  the  faith. 

After  this  long  tour  he  returned  to  Alexandria,  where 
he  preached  with  the  greatest  freedom,  ordered  and  dis- 
posed of  the  affairs  of  the  church,  and  wisely  provided  for 
a  succession,  by  constituting  governors  and  pastors  of  it. 
But  the  restless  enemy  of  the  souls  of  men  would  not 
suffer  our  apostle  to  continue  in  peace  and  quietness,  for 
while  he  was  assiduously  laboring  in  the  vineyard  of  his 
Master,  the  idolatrous  inhabitants,  about  the  time  of 
Easter,  when  they  were  celebrating  the  solemnities  of 
Serapis,  tumultously  seized  him;  and,  binding  his  feet 
with  cords,  dragged  him  through  the  streets,  and  over  the 
most  craggy  places,  to  the  Bucelus,  a  precipice  near  the 
sea,  leaving  him  there  in  a  lonesome  prison,  for  that 
night;  but  his  great  and  beloved  Master  appeared  to  him 
in  a  vision,  comforting  and  encouraging  him,  under  the 
ruins  of  his  shattered  body. 

Early  the  next  morning  the  tragedy  began  afresh ;  and 
they  dragged  him  about  in  the  same  cruel  and  barbarous 
manner,  till  he  expired.  But  their  malice  did  not  end 
with  his  death ;  for  they  burnt  his  mangled  body  after 
they  had  so  inhumanly  deprived  it  of  life;  but  the 
Christians  gathered  up  his  bones  and  ashes,  and  decently 
interred  them  near  the  place  where  he  used  to  preach. 
His  remains  were  afterwards,  with  great  pomp,  removed 
from  Alexandria  to  Venice,  where  they  were  religiously 
honored,  and  he  was  adopted  the  titular  saint  and  patron 
of  that  state. 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     2  Vj 

He  suffered  martyrdom  on  the  S.ith  of  April,  but  the 
year  is  not  absolutely  known;  the  most  probable  opinion 
is,  thai  it  happened  about  the  end  of  the  reign  of  Nero. 

His  Gospel,  the  only  writing  he  left  behind  him,  was 
written  at  the  intreaty  and  earnest  desire  of  the  converts 
at  Rome,  who,  not  content  with  having  heard  St.  Peter 
preach,  pressed  St.  Mark,  his  disciple,  to  commit  to 
writing  an  historical  account  of  what  he  had  delivered  to 
them,  which  lie  performed  with  equal  faithfulness  and 
brevity,  and  being  perused  and  approved  by  St.  Peter,  it 
was  commanded  to  be  publicly  read  in  their  assemblies. 
It  was  frequently  stiled  St.  Peter's  gospel,  not  because 
he  dictated  it  to  St.  Mark,  but  because  the  latter  com- 
posed it  from  the  accounts  St.  Peter  usually  delivered  in 
his  discourse  to  the  people.  And  this  is  probably  the 
reason  of  what  St.  Chrysostom  observes,  that  in  his  stile 
and  manner  of  expression  he  delights  to  imitate  St. 
Peter,  representing  a  great  deal  in  a  few  words. 

St.  LUKE. 

The  Evangelist  St.  Luke  was  a  native  of  Antioch  in 
Syria,  and  by  profession  a  physician ;  and  it  is  the  geu- 
eral  opinion  of  most  ancient  historians,  that  he  was  also 
well  acquainted  with  the  art  of  painting. 

After  our  Lord's  ascension  into  heaven,  he  spent  a 
great  part  of  his  time  with  St.  Paul,  whom  he  accom- 
panied to  various  places,  and  greatly  assisted  in  bringing 
over  proselytes  to  the  Christian  faith.  This  so  endeared 
him  to  that  apostle,  that  he  seems  delighted  witli  owning 
him  for  his  fellow-laborer,  and  in  calling  him  the  beloved 
physician,  and  the  brother  ichose  praise  is  in  the  Gospel. 

St.  Luke  preached  the  Gospel  with  great  success  in  a 
variety  of  places,  independent  of  his  assisting  St.  Paul. 
He  travelled  into  different  parts  of  Egypt  and  Greece,  in 
the  latter  of  which  countries  the  idolatrous  priests  were, 
so  incensed  against  him  that  they  put  him  to  death,  which 
they  effected  by  hanging  him  on  the  branch  of  an  olive 
tree.  The  anniversary  of  his  martyrdom  is  held  on  the 
18th  of  October. 

St.  Luke  wrote  two  books  for  the  use  of  the  church ; 
namely,  his  Gospel,  and  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.    Both 


S40  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

these  he  dedicated  to  Theophilus,  which  many  of  the 
ancients  suppose  to  be  a  feigned  name,  denoting  a  lover 
of  God,  a  title  common  to  all  sincere  Christians.  But 
others  think  it  was  a  real  person,  because  the  title  of  most 
excellent  is  attributed  to  him ;  which  was  the  usual  form 
of  address,  in  those  times,  to  princes  and  other  distin- 
guished characters. 

His  Gospel  contains  the  principal  Transactions  of  the 
Life  of  our  Blessed  Redeemer;  and  in  his  Acts  of  the 
Apostles  (which  it  is  probable  he  wrote  at  Home  about 
the  time  of  Paul's  imprisonment)  are  recorded  the  most 
material  actions  of  the  principal  apostles,  especially  St. 
Paul,  whose  activity  in  the  cause  of  Christ  made  him 
bear  a  very  great  part  in  the  labors  of  his  Master;  and 
St.  Luke,  being  almost  his  constant  attendant,  and  privy 
to  his  most  intimate  transactions,  was  consequently  capa- 
ble of  giving  a  more  full  and  satisfactory  account  of  them 
than  any  other  of  the  apostles. 

In  both  these  treatises  his  manner  of  writing  is  exact 
and  accurate;  his  stile  noble  and  elegant,  sublime  and 
lofty,  and  yet  clear  and  perspicuous,  flowing  with  an  easy 
and  natural  grace  and  sweetness,  admirably  adapted  to 
an  historical  design.  In  short,  as  an  historian  he  was 
faithful  in  his  relations,  and  elegant  in  his  writings;  as  a 
minister,  careful  and  diligent  for  the  good  of  souls ;  as  a 
Christian,  devout  and  pious;  and  to  crown  all  the  rest,  he 
laid  down  his  life  in  testimony  of  the  gospel  he  had  both 
preached  and  published  to  the  world. 

St.  BARNABAS. 

After  our  Lord's  ascension  into  heaven,  Barnabas  con- 
tinued, for  a  considerable  time,  witli  St.  Paul,  being  his 
constant  attendant  wherever  he  went.  He  travelled  with 
him  to  a  great  variety  of  places  in  different  parts  of  the 
world,  and  was  of  the  most  infinite  service  in  helping  him 
to  propagate  the  Gospel  of  his  great  Lord  and  Master. 
At  length,  however,  a  dispute  arose  between  them  while 
they  were  at  Antioch,  the  issue  of  which  was,  that  Bar- 
nabas left  Paul  at  Antioch,  and  retired  to  Cyprus,  his 
native  country. 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.    21  ll 

After  this  separation  from  St.  Paul  the  sacred  writings 
i^ivc  us  uo  account  of  St.  Barnabas;  nor  are  the  ecclesias- 
tical writers  agreed  among  themselves  with  regard  to  the 
actions  of  our  aposlle,  after  his  sailing  for  Cyprus.  This, 
however,  seems  to  he  certain,  that  he  did  not  spend  the 
whole  remainder  of  his  life  in  that  island,  but  visited  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  world,  preaching  the  glad  tidings  of 
the  Gospel,  healing  the  sick,  and  working  other  miracles 
among  the  Gentiles.  After  long  and  painful  travels,  at- 
tended with  different  degrees  of  success  in  different 
places,  he  returned  to  Cyprus,  his  native  country,  where 
he  suffered  martyrdom  in  the  following  manner :  Certain 
Jews  coming  from  Syria  and  Salamis,  where  Barnabas 
was  then  preaching  the  Gospel,  being  highly  exasperated 
at  his  extraordinary  success,  fell  upon  him  as  he  was  dis- 
puting in  the  synagogue,  dragged  him  out,  and,  after  the 
most  inhuman  tortures,  stoned  him  to  death.  His  kins- 
man, John  Mark,  who  was  a  spectator  of  this  barbarous 
action,  privately  interred  his  body  in  a  cave ;  where  it  re- 
mained till  the  time  of  the  emperor  Zeno,  in  the  year  of 
Christ  185,  when  it  was  discovered,  with  St.  Matthew's 
gospel  in  Hebrew,  written  with  his  own  hand,  lying  on 
his  breast. 

The  anniversary  of  the  martyrdom  of  St.  Barnabas  is 
kept  on  the  11th  of  June. 

TIMOTHY. 

This  great  assertor  of  the  cause  of  Christ  was  a  disci- 
ple of  St.  Paul,  and  born  at  Lystra  in  Lycaonia.  His 
father  was  a  Gentile,  but  his  mother  was  a  Jewess.  Her 
name  was  Eurice,  and  that  of  his  grand  mother,  Lais. 
These  particulars  are  taken  notice  of,  because  St.  Paul 
commends  their  piety  and  the  good  education  which  they 
had  given  Timothy. 

When  St.  Paul  came  to  Derbe  and  Lystra,  about  the 
year  of  Christ  51  or  52,  the  brethren  gave  such  an  ad- 
vantageous testimony  of  the  merit  and  good  disposition 
of  Timothy,  that  the  apostle  took  him  with  him,  in  order 
to  assist  him  in  propagating  the  doctrine  of  his  Great 
Lord  and   Master.   Timothy  applied  himself  to  labor 

vox.  iv.         H  h 


842  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST, 

with  St.  Paul  in  the  business  of  the  Gospel,  ami  did  him 
very  important  services,  through  the  whole  course  of  his 
preaching.  St.  Paul  calls  him  not  only  his  dearly  beloved 
son,  but  also  his  brother,  the  companion  of  his  labors, 
and  a  man  of  God. 

This  holy  disciple  accompanied  St.  Paul  to  Mace- 
donia, to  Philippi,  to  Thessalonica,  to  Berea;  and  when 
the  apostle  went  from  Berea,  he  left  Timothy  and  Silas 
there,  to  confirm  the  converts.  When  he  came  to  Athens, 
he  sent  for  Timothy  to  come  thither  to  him ;  and  when  he 
was  come,  and  had  given  him  an  account  of  the  churches 
of  Macedonia,  St.  Paul  sent  him  back  to  Thessalonica. 
from  whence  he  afterwards  returned  with  Silas,  and 
came  to  St.  Paul  at  Corinth.  There  he  continued  with 
him  for  some  time,  and  the  apostle  mentions  him  with 
Silas,  at  the  beginning  of  the  two  epistles  which  he  then 
wrote  to  the  Thessalonians. 

Some  years  after  this,  St.  Paul  sent  Timothy  and 
Erastus  into  Macedonia;  and  gave  Timothy  orders  to 
call  at  Corinth,  to  refresh  the  minds  of  the  Corinthians, 
with  regard  to  the  truths  which  he  had  inculcated  in 
them.  Some  time  after,  writing  to  the  same  Corinthians, 
he  recommends  them  to  take  care  of  Timothy,  and  send 
him  back  in  peace ;  after  which  Timothy  returned  to  St. 
Paul  into  Asia,  who  there  stayed  for  him.  They  went 
together  into  Macedonia;  and  the  apostle  puts  Timothy's 
name  with  his  own,  before  the  second  Epistle  to  the 
Corinthians,  which  he  wrote  to  them  from  Macedonia, 
about  the  middle  of  the  year  of  Christ  57-  And  he  sends 
his  recommendations  to  the  Romans  in  the  letter  which 
lie  wrote  from  Corinth  the  same  year. 

When  St.  Paul  returned  from  Rome,  in  61,  he  left 
Timothy  at  Ephesus  to  take  care  of  that  church  of  which 
lie  was  the  first  bishop,  as  he  is  recognized  by  the  council 
of  Chalcedon.  St.  Paul  wrote  to  him  from  Macedonia 
the  first  of  the  two  letters  which  are  addressed  to  him. 
He  recommends  him  to  be  more  moderate  in  his  austeri- 
ties, and  to  drink  a  little  wine,  because  of  the  weakness 
of  his  stomach,  and  his  frequent  infirmities.  After  the 
apostle  came  to  Rome  in  the  year  6;?,  being  then  very 
near  his  death,  lie  wrote  to  him  his  second  letter,  which 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.      213 

is  full  of  marks  of  kindness  and  tenderness  for  this  his 
dear  disciple:  and  which  is  justly  looked  upon  as  the.  last 
will  of  St.  Paul.  He  desires  him  to  come  to  Jlome  to  him 
before  winter,  and  bring  with  him  several  things  which 
he  had  left  at  Troas.  If  Timothy  went  to  Home,  as  it  is 
probable  he  did,  he  must  have  been  an  eye-witness  of  the 
martyrdom  of  Paul,  which  happened  in  the  year  of 
Christ  66. 

After  Timothy  had  visited  Paul  at  Rome  he  returned 
to  Ephesus,  where  he  continued  to  govern  the  church  as 
its  bishop,  without  the  least  interruption,  for  a  considera- 
ble time,  till  at  length  he  fell  a  victim  to  the  malice  of  the 
Pagans,  who  were  his  most  inveterate  enemies.  These 
beat  hens  made  a  great  feast,  in  the  celebration  of  which, 
they  carried  in  procession  the  images  of  their  idols,  being 
all  masked,  and  armed  with  clubs,  and  other  offensive 
weapons.  Timothy,  seeing  the  procession,  was  so  irritated 
at  their  idolatry  and  superstition,  that  be  rushed  in 
among  them  in  order  to  stop  their  proceedings;  upon 
which  they  immediately  fell  upon  him,  and,  with  their 
clubs,  beat  him  in  so  unmerciful  a  manner,  that  he  soon 
expired.  They  left  the  body  on  the  spot  where  they  had 
murdered  him,  which  was  removed  from  thence  by  some 
of  his  disciples,  and  decently  interred  on  the  top  of  a 
mountain  at  a  small  distance  from  the  city.  The  Greeks 
commemorate  his  martyrdom  on  the  22d  of  January,  the 
day  on  which  it  is  generally  supposed  he  gave  up  his  life 
in  defence  of  the  doctrine  he  had  long  labored  to  propa- 
gate ;  and  during  which  time  he  had  brought  over  great 
numbers  of  people  to  embrace  the  truth  of  the  Christian 
religion. 

TITUS. 

Titus  was  a  native  of  Greece,  and  a  Gentile  by  birth; 
but  was  converted  to  the  Christian  faith  by  the  apostle 
Paul,  who,  in  consequence  of  his  strict  adherence  to  the 
doctrine  of  Christ,  calls  him  his  son.  St.  Jerome  tells  us 
that  he  was  St.  Paul's  interpreter;  and  that,  probably, 
because  he  might  write  what  Paul  dictated,  or  translate 
into  Greek  what  he  had  written  in  Latin, 


£M  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OP  CHRIST, 

Soon  after  the  conversion  of  Titus,  the  apostle  Paul 
took  him  with  him  to  Jerusalem,  which  was  at  the  time 
when  he  went  thither  about  deciding  the  dispute  then  in 
agitation  relative  to  the  converted  Gentiles  being  made 
subject  to  the  ceremonies  of  the  Mosaic  law.  On  their 
arrival  there  some  of  the  people  were  desirous  that  Titus 
should  be  circumcised ;  but  this  was  not  only  refused  by 
Titus,  buf  totally  objected  to  by  Paul. 

After  this  controversy  was  ended  at  Jerusalem,  Paul 
sent  Titus  from  thence  to  Corinth,  in  order  to  adjust  some 
disputes  which  had  taken  place  in  the  church  of  that  city. 
Titus  was  received  by  the  people  with  the  greatest  marks 
of  respect;  and,  from  the  various  discourses  he  preached 
on  the  occasion,  was  so  successful  as  effectually  to  dis- 
charge the  business  on  which  he  was  sent. 

After  staying  some  time  at  Corinth,  Titus  went  from 
thence  into  Macedonia,  in  order  to  inform  Paul  of  the 
state  of  the  church  in  that  city.  Paul  was  well  pleased 
with  the  account  he  gave,  and  the  success  of  his  embassy; 
and  intending  himself  to  go  to  Corinth,  desired  Titus  to 
return  thither,  to  make  some  necessary  preparations  pre- 
vious to  his  departure  for  that  city.  Titus  readily  under- 
took the  journey,  and  immediately  set  off,  carrying  with 
him  St.  Paul's  second  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians. 

Titus  was  made  bishop  of  the  island  of  Crete  about 
the  63d  year  after  Christ,  when  St.  Paul  was  obliged  to 
quit  that  island,  in  order  to  take  care  of  the  other 
churches.  The  following  year  Paul  wrote  him  to  desire, 
that  as  soon  as  he  should  have  sent  Tychicus  to  him  for 
supplying  his  place  in  Crete,  he  would  come  to  him  to 
Kicopolis  in  Epirus,  where  the  apostle  intended  to  pass 
Jtis  winter. 

The  subject  of  this  Epistle  is  to  represent  to  Titus 
what  are  the  qualities  that  a  bishop  should  be  endued 
with.  As  the  principal  function  which  Titus  was  to  ex- 
ercise in  the  isle  of  Crete  was  to  ordain  priests  and 
bishops,  it  was  highly  incumbent  on  him  to  make  a  dis- 
creet choice.  The  apostle  also  gives  him  a  sketch  of  the 
advice  and  instructions  which  he  was  to  propound  to  all 
sorts  of  persons :  to  the  aged,  both  men  and  women ;  tp 
young  people  of  each  sex ;  to  slaves  or  servants.    He  ex- 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     2  l.'» 

noits  him  to  keep  a  strict  eye  over  the  Cretans;  and  to 
reprove  them  with  severity,  as  being  a  people  addicted  to 
lying;,  wickedness,  idleness  and  gluttony.  And  as  many 
Jews  were  in  the  churches  of  Crete,  he  exhorts  Titus  to 
oppose  their  vain  traditions  and  Jewish  fables;  and  ai 
the  same  time  to  shew  them  that  the  observation  of  the 
law  ceremonies  is  no  longer  necessary;  that  the  distinc- 
tion of  meat  is  abolished :  and  that  every  thing  is  pure 
and  clean  to  those  that  are  so  themselves :  he  puts  him  in 
mind  of  exhorting  the  faithful  to  be  obedient  to  temporal 
power;  to  avoid  disputes,  quarrels  and  slander;  to  apply 
themselves  to  honest  callings;  and  to  shun  the  company 
of  a  heretic,  after  the  first  and  second  admonition. 

Titus  was  deputed  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  Dalmatia, 
where  he  was  situated  when  the  apostle  wrote  his  second 
epistle  to  Timothy.  He  afterwards  returned  into  Crete ; 
from  which  it  is  said,  he  propagated  the  Gospel  into  the 
neighboring  islands.  He  died  at  the  age  of  94,  and  was 
buried  in  Crete.  The  Greeks  keep  his  festival  on  the 
25th  of  August,  and  the  Latins  on  the  4th  of  January. 

JOHN  MARK. 

John  Mark,  cousin  to  St.  Barnabas,  and  a  disciple  of 
his,  was  the  son  of  a  Christian  woman,  named  Mary, 
who  had  a  house  in  Jerusalem,  where  the  apostles  and 
the  faithful  generally  used  to  meet.  Here  they  were  at 
prayers  in  the  night,  when  St.  Peter,  who  was  delivered 
out  of  prison  by  the  angel,  came  and  knocked  at  the  door; 
and  in  this  house  the  celebrated  church  of  Sicn  was  said 
to  have  been  afterwards  established. 

John  Mark,  whom  some,  very  improperly  confound 
with  the  Evangelist  St.  Mark,  adhered  to  St.  Paul  and 
St.  Barnabas,  and  followed  them  in  their  return  to  Anti- 
och.  He  continued  in  their  company  and  service  till  they 
came  to  Perga.  in  Pamphylia;  but  then  seeing  that  they 
were  undertaking  a  longer  journey,  he  left  them  and  re- 
turned to  Jerusalem.  This  happened  in  the  year  45  of 
the  common  era. 

Some  years  after,  that  is  to  say  in  the  year  51,  Paul 
and  Barnabas  preparing  to  return  into  Asia,  in  order  to 
visit  the  churches,  which  they  had  formed  there,  the  lat 


348  FEOM  THE  ASCENSION  OP  CHRIST, 

ter  was  of  opinion,  that  John  should  accompany  them  in 
this  journey;  but  Paul  would  not  consent  to  it:  upon 
which  occasion  these  two  apostles  separated.  Paul  went 
to  Asia,  and  Barnabas  with  John  Mark,  to  the  isle  of 
Cyprus.  What  John  Mark  did  after  this  journey  we  do 
not  know,  till  we  find  him  at  Rome  in  the  year  63,  per- 
forming signal  services  for  St.  Paul,  during  his  imprison- 
ment. 

The  apostle  speaks  advantageously  of  him  in  his 
epistle  to  the  Colossians,  Jllarcus,  sister's  son  to  Barna- 
bas, saluteth  you.  Jf  he  cometh  unto  you,  receive  him. 
He  makes  mention  of  him  again  in  his  epistle  to  Phile- 
mon, written  in  the  year  63;  at  which  time  he  was  with 
St.  Paul  at  Rome ;  but  in  the  year  65  he  was  with  Timo- 
thy in  Asia.  And  St.  Paul  writing  to  Timothy,  desires 
him  to  bring  Marcus  to  Rome;  adding  that  he  was  use- 
ful to  him  for  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel. 

In  the  Greek  and  Latin  churches,  the  festival  of  John 
Mark  is  kept  on  the  27th  of  September.  Some  say  that 
lie  was  bishop  of  Biblis,  in  Phoenicia.  The  Greeks  give, 
him  the  title  of  apostle ;  and  say  that  the  sick  were  cured 
by  his  shadow  only.  It  is  very  probable  that  he  died  at 
Ephesus,  where  his  tomb  was  very  much  celebrated  and 
resorted  to.  He  is  sometimes  called  simply  John,  or 
Mark.  The  year  of  his  death  we  are  strangers  to ;  and 
shall  not  collect  all  that  is  said  of  him  in  apocryphal  and 
uncertain  authors. 

CLEMENT. 

Clement  is  mentioned  by  St.  Paul,  in  his  epistle  to 
ihe  Philippians,  where  the  apostle  says  that  Clement's 
name  is  written  in  the  book  of  life.  The  generality  of  the 
fathers,  and  other  interpreters,  make  no  question  but  that 
this  is  the  same  Clement  who  succeeded  St.  Paul,  after 
Linus  and  Anaciet,  in  the  government  of  the  church  of 
Home ;  and  this  seems  to  be  intimated,  when  in  the  office 
for  St.  Clement's  day,  that  church  appoints  this  part  of 
the  Epistle  to  the  Philippians  to  be  read. 

We  find  several  things  relating  to  Clement's  life,  in 
the  recognitions  and  constitutions  called  apostolic ;  but  as 
those  works  are  not  all  looked  upon  as  authentic,  though 


TO  THE  FULL  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY.     24? 

there  may  be  truths  in  some  of  them  derived  from  the  tra- 
dition of  the  first  ages,  little  stress  is  to  be  laid  upon  their 
testimony.  St.  Chrysostom  thinks  that  Clement,  men- 
tioned by  St.  Paul  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Philippians,  was 
one  of  the  apostle's  constant  fellow-travellers.  Irenseus, 
Origin.  Clemens  of  Alexandria,  and  others  uf  the  ancients 
assert,  that  Clement  was  a  disciple  of  the  apostles:  that 
he  had  seen  them,  and  heard  their  instructions.  St.  Epi- 
phanius,  Jerome,  Rufinus,  Bede,  and  some  others,  Mere 
of  opinion,  that  as  the  apostles  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul 
could  not  be.  continually  at  Home,  by  reason  of  the  fre- 
quent journies  which  they  were  obliged  to  make  to  other 
places,  and  it  was  not  proper  that  the  city  of  Rome  should 
be  without  a  bishop,  there  was  a  necessity  to  supply  the 
want  of  them  by  establishing  Linus,  Anaclet,  and  Clem- 
eut  there.  The  constitutions  inform  us,  that  Linus  was 
ordained  by  St.  Paul;  Tertullian  and  Epiphanius  say, 
that  St.  Peter  ordained  Clement.  Rufinus  tells  us  that 
this  apostle  chose  St.  Clement  for  his  successor.  Rut. 
Epiphanius  believes,  that  after  he  had  been  made  bishop 
of  Rome  by  St.  Peter,  he  refused  to  exercise  his  office, 
till  after  the  death  of  Linus  and  Anaclet,  he  was  obliged 
to  take  upon  him  the  care  of  the  church;  and  this  is  the 
most  generally  received  opinion.  St.  Peter's  immediate 
successor  was  Linus;  Linus  was  succeeded  by  Auaclet; 
and  Anaclet  by  Clement,  in  the  year  of  Christ  ninety-one, 
which  was  the  tenth  of  the  reign  of  Domitian. 

During  his  government  over  the  church  of  Rome,  that 
of  Corinth  was  disturbed  by  a  spirit  of  division,  upon 
which  Clement  wrote  a  loug  letter  to  the  Corinthians, 
which  is  still  extant,  and  was  so  much  esteemed  by  the 
ancients,  that  they  read  it  publicly  in  many  churches; 
and  some  have  been  inclined  to  range  it  among  the  ca- 
nonical writings. 

In  what  manner  Clement  conducted  himself,  and  how 
he  escaped  the  general  persecution  under  the  emperor 
Domitian,  we  have  not  any  certain  accounts;  but  we  are 
very  well  assured  that  he  lived  to  the  third  year  of  the 
emperor  Trajan,  which  is  the  hundredth  of  the  Christian 
era.  His  festival  is  set  down  by  Bede,  and  all  the  Latin 
Martyrologisls,  on  the  23d  of  November;  and  the  Greeks 


218  FROM  THE  ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST^ 

honor  him  on  the  24th  and  25th  of  the  same  month, 
Rufinus  and  pope  Zozimus,  give  him  the  title  of  Martyr ; 
and  the  Roman  church,  in  its  canon,  places  him  among 
the  saints  who  have  sacrificed  their  lives  in  the  cause  of 
Christ. 

Thus  have  we  given  the  most  ample  account  of  the 
followers  of  the  Blessed  Jesus;  the  persons  who  spread, 
and  caused  to  be  spread,  the  light  of  the  Gospel  over  the 
whole  world,  removed  the  veil  of  ignorance  and  super- 
stition drawn  over  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth,  and  taught 
us  the  method  of  attaining  eternal  happiness  in  the  courts 
of  the  New  Jerusalem. 

May  we  all  follow  their  glorious  examples!  May  we 
imitate  their  faith,  their  piety,  their  charity,  and  their 
love !  Then  shall  we  pass  through  things  temporal  in 
such  a  manner,  that  we  shall  finally  gain  the  things  eter- 
nal, and,  through  the  merits  of  an  all-perfect  Redeemer, 
be  admitted  as  worthy  guests  at  the  marriage  supper  of 
the  Lamb. 

Behold  the  Glories  of  the  Lamb  I 

Amidst  his  Father's  throue; 
Prepare  new  honors  for  his  name, 

And  songs  before  unknown. 

Let  elders  worship  at  his  feet, 

The  church  adore  around, 
With  vials  full  of  odors  sweet, 

And  harps  of  sweeter  sound. 

Those  are  the  prayers  of  the  saints, 

And  these  the  hymns  they  raise: 
Jesus  is  kind  to  our  complaints, 

He  loves  to  hear  our  praise. 

Now  to  the  Lamb  that  once  was  slain 

Be  endless  blessings  paid; 
Salvation,  Glory,  Joy  remain 

For  ever  on  thy  head. 

Thou  hast  redeemed  our  souls  with  bloo.d, 

Hast  set  the  prisoners  free ; 
Hast  made  us  kings  and  priests  to  God, 

And  we  shall  reign  with  thee. 

The  worlds  of  nature  and  of  grace 

Are  put  beneath  thy  power: 
Then  shorten  these  delaying  days. 

And  bring  the  promised  hour. 


APPENDIX 

TO    THE 

HISTORY 

OF    THE 

HOLY  BIBLE 


CONTAINING  VARIOUS  PARTICULARS   NECESSARY  TO  ILLUSTRATE  ANI» 

ELUCIDATE  THE  SACRED  WRITINGS   CONTAINED  BOTH  IN  THE 

OLD  AND  NEW  TESTAMENT. 


CHAP.  I. 

On  the  Connection  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  or  General 
Agreement  of  the  Sacred  Writers;  with  a  summary  View 
of  the  great  Truth  of  Divine  Revelation. 

THE  Sacred  Volume,  which  we  call  the  BIBLE, 
is  not  a  book  compiled  by  a  single  author,  nor  by  many 
persons  in  conjunction  in  the  same  age,  in  which  there 
would  be  no  difficulty  in  forming  a  consistent  composition, 
nor  would  it  be  any  wonder  to  find  the  various  parts  in  a 
just  and  close  connection.  But  the  scriptures  were  done 
by  several  hands,  in  very  different  conditions  of  life,  and 
iu  very  distant  ages,  at  which  distinct  and  separate 
periods  the  world  must  have  put  on  a  new  face,  and  men 
must  have  had  different  interests  to  pursue. 

David  wrote  about  400  years  after  Moses,  and  Isaiah 
about  250  years  after  David ;  and  Matthew  more  than 
700  after  Isaiah :  and  yet  these  authors,  with  all  the  other 
prophets  and  apostles,  write  in  perfect  harmony,  confirm- 
ing the  authority  of  their  predecessors,  laboring  to  reduce 

vol.  iv.         I  I 


230        ON  THE  CONNECTION  BETWEEN 

the  people  to  the  observance  of  their  instructions,  and 
loudly  exclaiming  against  their  neglect  and  contempt  of 
them,  and  denouncing  the  severest  judgments  upon  such 
as  should  continue  disobedient. 

This  was  the  principal  work  of  the  prophets  in  a  long 
succession ;  and  it  is  well  known  that  our  Lord  came  not 
to  destroy  the  law  and  the  prophets,  but  to  fulfil,  that  is, 
to  vindicate  and  illustrate  their  meaning,  to  complete 
what  was  imperfect,  and  to  answer  the  highest  ends  of 
what  was  typical  and  figurative. 

As  the  writers,  therefore,  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  all 
in  perfect  connection  and  harmony  together,  mutually 
confirming  the  doctrine  and  testimony  of  each  other,  and 
concurring  to  establish  the  very  same  religious  truths  and 
principles,  it  is  an  undeniable  proof  that  all  derive  their 
instructions  from  the  same  fountain,  namely,  the  wisdom 
of  God,  and  were,  indeed,  under  the  direction  and  illu- 
mination of  his  Spirit. 

The  Christian  faith  is,  and  for  many  years  has  been, 
embraced  in  all  those  numerous  and  distant  lands  which 
once  composed  the  Roman  empire,  and  even  in  countries 
far  beyond  the  utmost  bounds  thereof.  In  all  these 
spacious  regions,  the  Christian  faith,  in  one  form  or  other, 
has  been  professed;  and  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper 
have  been  administered,  in  a  succession  of  ages,  both  of 
which  institutions  were  handed  down  to  us  from  the  mouth 
of  our  Blessed  Redeemer,  by  his  holy  apostles  and  evan- 
gelists. 

No  fact  can  be  more  evident  than  this ;  and  from  our 
Lord  and  his  apostles,  the  Gospel  spread  over  the  greatest 
part  of  the  known  world,  which  before  its  publication  was 
universally  involved  in  idolatry,  established  by  long 
custom  and  human  laws,  strongly  defended  by  all  the 
power  and  learning  of  the  world,  by  all  the  zeal  of  super- 
stition, by  all  the  blindness  of  profound  ignorance,  and 
by  all  the  incorrigible  perverseness  of  corrupt  and  disso- 
lute manners;  a  complication  of  causes  which  would  for 
ever  bid  defiance  to  any  philosophy  or  wisdom  of  the 
few  that  can  be  supposed  to  obtain  a  better  sense  in  the 
midst  of  universal  darkness  and  depravity.  But  the 
Gospel  gained  a  most  complete  and  extensive  victory  over 


THE  OLD  AND  XEW  TESTAMENTS.        251 

all  these,  demolished  (lie  idols  of  the  heathen  world,  and 
every  where  erected  the  trophies  of  a  conquering  Jesus. 

Now  this  surprizing  change,  which  is  evident  to  all 
mankind,  could  have  been  effected  by  no  other  means 
whatever,  but  by  a  Divine  and  supernatural  influence.  It 
is  true  indeed,  that,  by  human  power  and  policy,  great 
revolutions  have  been  brought  about  in  all  ages  and  parts 
of  the  world;  and  therefore  we  do  not  wonder  at  the  cir- 
culation of  the  Mahometan  or  Turkish  religion,  as  it  was 
propagated  by  the  sword,  under  a  mighty  warrior  and 
politician,  who  by  ravage,  bloodshed  and  desolation,  con- 
quered many  nations  and  kingdoms,  laid  the  foundation 
of  a  potent  and  spacious  empire ;  and  thus  by  violence 
opened  a  way  for  the  reception  and  extensive  profession 
of  his  newly  devised  religion.  But  the  religion  of  Jesus 
was  triumphant,  not  only  without  the  aid  of  human  power 
or  policy,  but  even  in  direct  opposition  to  it.  The  plain 
fact  is  this  : 

A  person,  about  thirty  years  of  age,  called  Jesus, 
brought  up  in  the  most  humble  situation  of  life,  without 
the  least  human  interest  or  influence,  begins  to  preach  re- 
pentance among  the  Jews,  the  most  superstitious  and 
bigotted  people  in  the  world;  declares  himself  the  Son 
of  God,  gathers  a  few  disciples,  persons  in  the  same 
humble  and  mean  condition  with  himself,  fishermen, 
publicans  and  such  like,  and  sends  them  about  preaching, 
what  he  called  the  Gospel,  and  Kingdom  of  God.  He 
himself  was  despised  by  the  superstitious,  and  greatly 
opposed  and  harrassed  by  men  of  power  and  learning. 
However,  he  preached  for  more  than  three  years ;  when 
they  caught  him  and  crucified  him  as  an  infamous  male- 
factor. 

This  direful  event,  he  plainly  foresaw  and  foretold ; 
but,  not  the  least  discouraged  by  the  prospect,  he  com- 
manded his  disciples  to  go  and  preach  his  Gospel  over 
all  the  world :  promising  that  after  his  death  he  would 
assist  them  with  power  from  heaven,  in  virtue  of  which 
they  should  certainly  succeed.  They  believed  him ;  they 
set  out;  they  preached  up  their  crucified  Master,  as  the 
Lord  and  Saviour  of  all  mankind ;  and,  which  is  very 
strange,  under  the  conduct  and  influence  of  a  Master^ 


£53  ON    THE    CONNECTION    BETWEffN 

who  was  dead  to  the  world,  and  gone  to  another  state! 
They  prevailed;  and  in  spite  of  the  fury  of  the  multitude, 
the  most  inveterate  prejudices  of  the  whole  world,  the 
zeal  of  superstition,  the  hatred  of  the  Jews,  the  contempt 
of  the  Greeks,  the  power  of  the  Romans,  the  pride  of 
philosophers,  and  the  policy  of  statesmen,  their  doctrine, 
like  the  sun,  almost  at  once,  enlightened  the  whole  sys- 
tem of  pagan  idolatry  and  religion,  and  advanced  into 
the  darkest  and  remotest  corners  of  the  earth. 

Of  this  we,  in  this  Christian  age,  are  living  monuments 
and  proofs ;  many  of  us,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  have  received 
the  Gospel;  we  own  it  a  glorious  and  a  shining  light; 
we  have  renounced  the  idolatry  and  vain  conversation 
of  our  ancient  predecessors;  we  confess  and  own  the 
crucified  Jesus,  our  King  and  Head,  and  hope  for  eternal 
life  and  salvation  through  him. 

From  all  tins  it  is  clearly  evident  that  Jesus  was  really 
the  Son  of  God,  that  lie  actually  rose  again  from  the 
dead,  arid  ascended  into  heaven,  and  that  from  thence  he 
sent  his  disciples  the  aids  and  powers  which  he  had 
promised,  and  which  were  so  far  above  all  that  is  human, 
that  they  carried  their  own  evidence  along  with  them, 
and  rendered  their  doctrine  so  surprizingly  successful. 

As  Jesus  did  not  send  his  disciples  to  preach  to  all  the 
world  till  after  his  death;  and  as  he  then  did  actually 
furnish  them  with  all  miraculous  powers  to  render  their 
doctrine  effectual ;  this  is  the  most  convincing  proof  that 
the  doctrine  was  Divine,  and  that  he  liimself  was  actually 
gone  to  heaven,  and  took  up  his  residence  at  the  right 
hand  of  Him  who  sent  him  into  the  world  for  the  re- 
demption of  lost  mankind. 

It  is  therefore  certain,  beyond  all  doubt,  that  Jesus 
Christ  was  sent  from  heaven  to  reveal  the  gospel  to  the 
world.  As  we  are  from  hence  very  certain,  that  we  have 
in  our  hands  the  writings  of  the  apostles,  we  may  be 
sure  that  they  contain  a  revelation  from  heaven,  or  that 
doctrine,  which  Christ  received  from  God  his  Father,  and 
delivered  to  his  disciples.  If  so,  then  the  writings  of  the 
Old  Testament  are  also  the  word  of  God,  because  Christ 
and  his  apostles  declare  them  to  be  such;  therefore  all 
scripture  is  given  by  inspiration. 


THE    OLD    AND    NEW    TESTAMEN1 


233 


The  same  thing  may  be  proved  by  the  long  train  of 
miraculous  operations,  which  could  he  effected  only  by 
Divine  power,  and  which  were  wrought  in  confirmation 
of  1  lie  mission  of  the  prophets  and  apostles:  as  also  from 
the  spirit  of  prophecy,  predicting  future  events  at  a  great 
distance  of  time.  Which  no  human  sagacity  could  possihly 
foresee,  and  yet  were  actually  fuliilled  in  correspondence 
to  the  prediction.  One  instance  of  this  is  particularly 
evident  in  the  present  state  and  condition  of  the  Jews:  off 
whom  it  was  foretold  that,  for  their  disobedience,  they 
should  become  a  dispersed  people,  and  despised  through- 
out the  face  of  the  earth. 

Our  Lord,  contrary  to  all  human  probability,  while  lie 
was  on  earth,  foretold  the  destruction  of  the  Jew  ish  temple 
and  polity,  and  their  dispersion  among  all  nations,  which 
was  actually  accomplished  in  about  forty  years  after. 

In  this  dispersed  state  they  have  now  continued  above 
seventeen  hundred  years  in  great  numbers,  and  in  great 
ignominy  and  contempt,  and  yet  quite  distinct  and  sepa- 
rate from  the  people  among  whom  they  live. 

This  is  a  sufficient  demonstration,  that  the  wisdom 
which  formed  them  into  a  peculiar  people,  as  they  have 
been  almost  ever  since  the  deluge,  is  not  human  but 
Divine;  for  no  human  wisdom  or  power  could  ever  form, 
or  ever  execute,  so  vast,  so  extensive  a  design.  It  must 
be  the  wisdom  and  power  of  that  Oiod  alone,  who  is  the 
same  in  every  age,  and  who  in  every  age  has  exercised  a 
singular  providence  over  his  peculiar  people,  the  descend- 
ants of  Abraham,  his  servant. 

Thus,  the  present  state  and  being  of  the  Jews  is  a  very 
public  and  standing  evideuce  of  the  truth  of  revelation,  in 
two  respects  : 

First,  with  regard  to  their  long  dispersion  through  most 
parts  of  the  earth,  and  the  various  calamities  they  have 
suffered  therein.  And  secondly,  witli  respect  to  their  be- 
ing preserved  as  a  distinct  and  separate  body;  both  of 
which  circumstances  plainly  shew  us,  that  it  was  the  will 
of  Divine  providence  to  preserve  the  Jewish  nation  in 
their  dispersion,  and  to  preserve  them  a  distinct  and 
separate  people,  ia  order  to  their  future  restoration. 


234  ON   THE    CONNECTION     BETWEEN 

We,  and  many  other  nations  at  this  day,  see  these  pre- 
dictions verified  in  the  present  state  of  the  Jews,  who  have 
been  so  long,  and  still  are  so  miraculously  preserved, 
separate  from  all  other  people. 

Now  this  is  a  standing  miracle,  a  wonderful  work  of 
Divine  providence,  and  as  strong  a  proof  of  revelation,  as 
if  we  were  to  see  the  dead,  every  year  rise  out  of  their 
graves,  in  confirmation  of  it;  for  we  have  still  among  us, 
after  so  long  a  time,  and  so  many  various  revolutions  in 
human  affairs,  the  peculiar  people,  whom  God,  above 
three  thousand  years  ago,  separated  unto  himself:  the 
very  people  who  are  the  principal  subject  of  revelation, 
and  who  are  said  there  to  be  the  principal  objects  of  his 
providence,  and  we  see  them  at  this  day  to  be  so  in  a  very 
surprizing  manner. 

Therefore  in  their  present  state  we  may  plainly  read 
the  ancient  promise  made  to  Abraham,  the  head  and  root 
of  the  nation,  the  many  wonderful  works  wrought  for  them 
from  first  to  last,  and  the  truth  of  prophetic  predictions ; 
in  the  present  state  of  the  Jews,  we  may  read  the  truth 
of  the  Gospel,  for  the  rejection  of  which,  God  rejected 
them,  and  scattered  them  over  the  face  of  the  earth. 

In  short,  we  are  certain  there  were  such  a  people  as 
the  Jews,  to  whom  God  delivered  the  revelation  of  his 
will  in  ancient  time,  for  the  descendants  of  these  very 
people  exist  among  us  at  this  day. 

We  are  sure  the  numerous  predictions  of  Scripture, 
both  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  relating  to  the  Jews, 
are  true;  for  we  see  them  made  good  in  their  present 
state;  and  therefore  we  may  be  assured  that  the  holy 
scriptures  are  given  by  inspiration  from  God ;  for  only  the 
spirit  of  God  could  foretel  such  events,  and  the  same 
spirit  which  foretold  these  events,  spake  by  the  prophets 
and  apostles,  and  inspired  them  with  all  that  Divine  wis- 
dom and  knowledge  which  we  find  in  all  their  writings. 

We  might  add  the  long  apostacy  and  general  corruption 
of  the  profession  of  Christianity,  so  plainly  foretold,  and 
under  such  express  and  particular  characters,  in  the 
apostolic  writings.  This  all  the  world  may  see  has  been 
abundantly  fulfilled  in  the  church  of  Home. 


i  IIP.    OLD    AND    NEW    TESTAMENT.  Z5( 

Now,  only  the  spirit  of  God  could  foresee  thai  such  a 
distant  and  deplorable  state  of  tiling  which  no  human 
probability  could  have  conjectured,  would  have  arisen  out 
of  the  pure  and  heavenly  doctrine  of  Christ.  But  the 
spirit  which  predicted  this  event,  is  the  very  same  which 
was  poured  out  upon  the  apostles,  and  enlightened  their 
minds  with  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel;  therefore  the 
Apostles,  who  wrote  the  New  Testament,  had  the  spirit 
of  God,  and  were  enlightened  by  it. 

By  these  arguments,  we  are  pointing  out  the  only  foun- 
tain of  life  and  happiness,  a  mine  more  valuable  than  of 
gold  and  precious  stones;  a  plentiful  magazine  of  heaven- 
ly and  everlasting  wealth,  au  inexhaustable  fund  of  solid 
comfort  and  peace,  the  holy  scriptures,  the  word  of  the 
everlasting  God ;  a  treasure  of  more  immense  value,  than 
any  which  we  have  in  our  possession,  if  we  are  wise  to 
make  a  right  improvement  of  it. 

But  the  connection  and  harmony  of  the  sacred  writings 
will  receive  a  farther  illustration,  if  we  trace  the  Divine 
dispensations  called  in  the  same,  the  Ways  and  Works 
of  God. 

The  icays  of  God  frequently  signify  the  rules  of  life, 
which  he  hath  given  us  to  observe,  Ps.  cxix.  3.  They 
also  do  no  iniquity  ;  they  walk  in  his  ways;  that  is,  in  the 
laic  of  the  Lord. 

The  Works  of  God  may  signify,  the  mere  operations 
and  productions  of  his  power;  but  both  these  words  have 
a  more  restricted  and  emphatical  signification.  A  tragi 
signifies  also  a  course  of  action,  a  custom,  constitution, 
or  institution,  which  any  person  or  number  of  persons 
form  to  themselves.  Prov.  viii.  S3.  The  Lord  possessed 
me  in  the  beginning  of  his  way  before  his  works  of  old. 
Prov.  xii.  26.  The  way  of  the  wicked  (their  course  of 
action)  seduceth  them. 

Hence  ways  and  works  signify  the  appointments,  con- 
stitutions, or  dispensations  of  God,  by  which  we  are  to 
understand,  the  methods  devised  and  carried  on  by  the 
wisdom  and  goodness  of  God,  to  discover  or  shew  him- 
self, his  nature  and  will,  his  beneficence  and  justice,  to 
the  minds  of  his  reasonable  creatures,  for  their  instruction, 


2j6  on   the    connection  between 

discipline  and  reformation  in  order  to  promote  their  hap- 
piness. 

These  are  the  great  ends  of  the  Divine  dispensations, 
as  set  forth  to  us,  in  the  sacred  word,  which  uniformly 
tends  to  promote  the  same;  and  these  are  the  principal 
points  to  be  attended  to  in  the  explication  of  them. 

The  great  God,  for  ever  to  be  adored,  hath  actually  given 
existence  to  a  world  of  human  beings  such  as  we  are.  He 
therefore  is  our  father,  and  we  are  his  offspring,  whom  he 
hath  created  in  love,  that  in  a  right  use  of  the  means  he 
hath  graciously  afforded  us,  we  might  be  qualified  for 
honor  and  immortality  in  the  heavenly  world. 

This  seems  to  be  the  highest  design  the  Divine  good- 
ness can  form,  and  the  highest  excellency  to  which  our 
nature  can  attain.  This  may  be  considered  as  the  basis  of 
all  the  Divine  dispensations  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world;  for  unless  heavenly  dispositions  are  implanted  in 
our  minds,  we  cannot  be  qualified  for  honor  and  enjoy- 
ment. It  is  therefore  becoming  the  father  of  our  spirits,  and 
suitable  to  the  nature  of  our  capacities  and  circumstances, 
that  proper  means  be  provided  for  our  instruction  and  dis- 
cipline. 

For  instance.  As  God  is  not  the  object  of  any  of  our 
senses,  and  can  be  seen  only  by  our  understandings,  it  is 
proper  that  he  should  set  before  us,  in  the  frame  and  fur- 
niture of  the  world,  such  visible  and  various  displays  of 
his  being,  power,  wisdom,  justice,  and  kind  regard,  as 
may  engage  our  attention,  discover  his  eternal  Godhead, 
and  lead  us  to  the  acknowledgment,  adoration,  love,  and 
dutiful  obedience  to  our  Creator,  father  and  benefactor. 

These  are  the  works,  the  dispensations,  or  constitutions 
of  nature,  whereby  the  Almighty,  as  in  a  glass,  has  dis- 
covered himself  to  the  thoughts  and  eyes  of  his  creatures 
here  below. 

Eut  besides  the  constitution  of  universal  nature,  there 
are  a  variety  of  dispensations,  which  are  more  immediate- 
ly relative  to  mankind;  as  the  being  born  of  parents  to 
supply  the  several  generations  of  the  world,  whence  re- 
sult sundry  relations  and  duties;  the  being  sustained  by 
food;  covered  and  sheltered  by  clothes  and  habitations; 
healed  by  physicians ;  taught  by  the  learued  and  skilful ; 


Till:    OLD    AMI    \!'.\\     TF.STAMKN  I  237 

the  infirmities,  appetites  and  passions  of  our  constitution; 
the  forming  societies  for  mutual  help  and  commerce;  the 
institution  of  government,  or  the  subordination  of  some  to 
the  authority  of  others,  for  preserving  good  order,  for  the 
protection  of  virtue,  and  punishment  of  vice. 

Add  to  these,  wars,  pestilence,  famine,  earthquakes, 
and  such  like  events;  all  these  may  be  reckoned  among 
the  Divine  appointments  or  dispensations,  some  for  the 
exercise  of  our  rational  faculties  in  right  action;  and 
some  for  discipline,  correction  and  reformation. 

By  these  ways  or  dispensations,  which  in  scripture  are 
considered  as  the  great  hinges  of  Divine  providence,  on 
which  his  dealings  with  mankind  have  turned;  or  as  the 
principal  events,  by  which  the  great  purposes  and  coun- 
sels of  God's  will  have  been  executed,  are  chiefly  to  be  at- 
tended unto;  because  right  conceptions  of  these,  under 
their  circumstances  and  connexions,  will  greatly  con- 
tribute to  the  explaining  of  scripture  Divinity,  and  demon- 
strating the  harmony  and  agreement  of  sacred  writ. 

Let  us  therefore  take  a  general  survey  of  them. 

First,  the  Creation  of  the  World,  as  already  consider- 
ed. 

Secondly,  the  Formation  of  Man,  after  the  image  of 
God. 

Thirdly,  Man  being  subjected  to  trial,  in  order  to  prove 
his  obedience,  yielded  to  temptation;  sinned,  and  so  be- 
came liable  to  the  threatening  of  eternal  death.    But, 

Fourthly,  God,  not  willing  to  destroy  his  creature, 
was  graciously  pleased,  in  his  infinite  mercy  aud  good- 
ness, to  introduce  a  new  dispensation  of  grace  in  the 
hands  of  an  all-glorious  Mediator;  at  the  same  time  sub- 
jecting the  human  race  to  a  laborious  life,  to  diseases  and 
death  temporal;  and  thus  in  great  goodness,  to  subdue  the 
fleshly  principle,  to  shew  the  atrocious  nature  of  sin,  and 
by  setting  forth  the  pride,  vanity,  and  self-sufficiency  of 
the  creature,  turn  his  regard  more  steadily  to  the  all-suffi- 
cient Creator. 

But  men  multiplying  in  the  earth,  abused  the  goodness 
of  God,  and  in  about  1656  years  time  became  so  wicked, 
that  all  flesh  had  corrupted  his  way,  and  the  earth  was 
filled  with  violence.   In  order  to  purge  the  world  from  in- 

vol.  iv.         K  K 


258  ON    THE    CONNECTION    BETWEEN 

iquity,  and  to  recover  it  to  a  state  of  righteousness,  God 
was  pleased,  by  a  deluge  of  water,  to  destroy  that  wick- 
ed generation,  preserving  the  only  family  that  remained 
uncorrupt  in  the  old  world,  in  order  to  propagate  piety 
and  obedience  in  the  new.  At  the  same  time,  and  for  the 
same  good  purposes,  he  reduced  human  life  into  much 
narrower  bounds. 

Not  long  after  the  deluge,  to  prevent  a  second  general 
corruption,  God  introduced  another  dispensation  by  con- 
founding the  language  of  mankind;  which  divided  the 
world  into  several  distinct  societies,  and  consequently 
kept  them  under  a  stricter  government,  and  better  pre- 
served their  liberties,  than  if  the  world  had  been  one  great 
empire. 

Thus  the  outrage  of  violence  and  rapine  was,  in  a  great 
measure,  cured.  But  notwithstanding  this,  mankind  fell 
into  a  different  iniquity,  namely,  that  of  idolatry,  where- 
by, within  400  years  after  the  flood,  the  worship  and 
knowledge  of  the  only  true  God  was  in  danger  of  being 
utterly  lost.  To  prevent  this,  the  Divine  wisdom  formed 
a  new  dispensation  by  calling  Abraham  from  among  his 
idolatrous  kindred,  and  constituting  his  family  the  stand- 
ard of  Divine  knowledge. 

To  them  he  spoke  and  revealed  himself  at  sundry 
times,  and  in  divers  manners,  and  separated  them  from  the 
rest  of  the  world,  by  peculiar  laws,  and  religious  ceremo- 
nies, to  secure  them  from  the  idolatrous  practices  of  their 
neighbors.  Thus  they  became  God's  peculiar  people,  be- 
ing distinguished  above  all  other  nations,  and  to  this  day, 
blessed  be  God,  we  experience  the  happy  effects  of  so 
singular  a  distinction,  and  owe  to  it  both  our  Bible,  and 
the  very  being  of  a  Gospel  church. 

The  family  of  Abraham,  by  the  Divine  direction,  was 
led  into  Egypt;  and  when  they  had  been  there,  under 
grievous  oppression,  215  years,  and  were  grown  nume- 
rous enough  to  be  a  nation,  God  set  himself  at  the  head 
of  them,  as  their  King;  and  in  a  country  much  esteemed 
for  learning  and  arts,  whither  men  of  genius  and  curiosity 
resorted  from  all  other  parts;  upon  this  stage,  so  proper 
because  public,  God.  as  the  King  of  Israel,  combatted  the 
king  of  Egypt  and  his  fictitious  gods,  and  displayed  his 


T1113   6LD    AND    NEW    TE8TAHEN1 

infinitely  superior  power  both  to  destroy  and  save,  by 
many  plagues  inflicted  upon  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  by 
bringing  out  the  Israelites  in  opposition  to  all  the  force  of 
the  king,  and  settling  them,  after  they  had  been  sufficient- 
ly disciplined  in  the  wilderness,  in  the  land  of  Canaan. 

Here  God  set  up  his  peculiar  kingdom  amongst  them, 
and  they  alone  of  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  were  the 
subjects  of  it,  and  happy  in  its  singular  privileges  and 
blessings;  but  at  the  same  time  were  made  sensible  of 
various  providential  dispensations,  the  general  rule  of 
which  was  this:  while  they  adhered  to  the  worship  of  the 
true  God,  they  were  always  prosperous;  when  they  de- 
clined to  idolatry,  they  were  either  oppressed  at  home,  or 
carried  captive  into  other  countries. 

The  long  captivity  in  Babylon  was  not  only  a  punish- 
ment to  the  Jews,  but  also  a  method  of  publishing  the 
knowledge  of  the  true  God  over  all  the  Babylonish  em- 
pire, as  appears  evidently  in  the  Book  of  Daniel. 

The  division  of  the  Grecian  empire,  which  put  an  end 
to  the  Persian,  after  the  death  of  Alexander,  caused 
a  new  dispersion  of  the  Jews,  especially  in  Asia 
Minor,  Syria,  Egypt,  Cyrene,  and  Lybia,  where  their 
synagogues  were  very  common.  Lastly,  when  they  were 
subjected  to  the  Roman  power,  their  God  and  religion 
became  more  known  all  over  the  Roman  empire. 

Thus  the  way  for  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah  was 
gradually  prepared ;  for  though  the  knowledge  of  God 
received  from  the  Jews,  made  no  public  reformation  of 
pagan  idolatry,  yet  it  greatly  disposed  men  to  receive  the 
Gospel,  when  it  should  be  preached  unto  them.  Some 
became  Jews,  many  renounced  idolatry,  and  worshipped 
no  other  but  the  living  and  true  God,  who,  in  the  Acts  of 
the  Apostles,  are  called  devout  proselytes,  Greeks,  those 
that  feared  God. 

Thus  have  we,  in  a  concise  manner,  traced  things 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  the  coming  of  Christ, 
who  came  in  the  fulness  of  time,  for  he  came  as  soon  as 
God,  by  the  various  methods  of  his  providence,  had  pre- 
pared the  world  to  receive  him.  When  God  had  made 
ready  a  people  prepared  for  him,  then  Christ  came,  and 
fully  explained  the  nature,  laws,  extent,  and  glory  of  ihe 


&6(J  on  the  connection  between 

kingdom  of  God,  and  fulfilled  the  great  and  most  ex- 
cellent design  of  Divine  wisdom,  by  giving  himself  a 
sacrifice  and  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the  world. 

Then  the  great  mystery  of  God,  the  calling  of  other 
nations,  besides  the  Jews,  into  his  kingdom  and  church, 
was  opened,  and  made  manifest  by  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel.  For  this  purpose,  he  sent  out  his  apostles,  fur- 
nished with  proper  powers  and  credentials,  especially 
the  gift  of  tongues,  whereby  they  were  enabled  to  com- 
municate the  wonderful  things  of  God  to  people  of  dif- 
ferent countries;  and  by  this  means,  the  glad  tidings  of 
salvation,  and  the  glorious  lights  and  privileges  of  the 
Gospel,  have  reached  even  unto  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth. 

But  as  Christ  came  to  restore, lo  explain,  and,  by  the 
most  glorious  promises,  to  enforce  the  law  of  nations; 
and  consequently  as  his  design  was  to  erect  an  universal 
religion,  which  should  be  recommended  to  all  people, 
and  which  therefore  was  to  interfere  with  no  political 
establishments,  but  should  leave  them,  in  every  country, 
just  as  it  found  them,  teaching  the  nations  to  observe  the 
will  of  God  as  contained  in  his  sacred  word,  in  the  hope 
of  eternal  life :  upon  this  grand,  noble,  and  extensive  plan, 
the  Jewish  polity  would  be  sunk  to  a  level  with  all  other 
national  governments;  and  the  Jew  on  account  of  any 
prior,  national  advantages,  would  have  no  more  claim  to 
the  blessings  and  privileges  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  than 
any  of  the  Gentiles  or  nations,  who  in  any  of  the  most 
barbarous  and  despised  parts  of  the  earth  should  receive 
the  faith  of  the  Gospel :  for  in  the  Christian  religion  there 
is  neither  Greek  nor  Jew,  circmncision  nor  uncircum- 
cision,  Barlarian,  Sycthian,  bond  nor  free;  hut  Christ, 
that  is,  the  faith  and  obedience,  or  true  religion,  which 
Christ  taught,  is  all,  and  in  all.  Col.  iii.  11.  Thus  the 
Jew  is  fallen  by  that  very  method  of  Divine  wisdom  and 
grace,  which  brought  salvation  to  other  nations.  Thus 
the  diminishing  of  the  Jeivs,  is  the  riches  of  the  world, 
and  the  casting  away  of  them  is  the  reconciling  of  the 
world.  Rom.  xi.  12,  15.  or  the  opening  a  door  for  the 
whole  world,  to  come  into  the  peculiar  kingdom  of  God. 
This  is  the  idea  we  ought  to  have  of  the  rejection  of  the 


THE   OLD    AND    NEW    TESTAMENT.  ^iii 

Jews.  The  grace  of  God  was.  and  is  still,  as  free  to  them 
as  to  oilier  people,  and  the  same  benefits  will  arise  to 
thcni,  if  they  quit  their  long  established  obstinacy,  and 
embrace  the  doctrine  of  Christ. 

Soon  after  the  publication  of  the  Gospel,  their  polity 
and  civil  constitution  (which  otherwise  would  have  re- 
mained in  full  force,  and  have  obliged  them  to  obey  its 
laws,  ns  much  as  the  constitutions  of  other  kingdoms  of 
the  world  obliged  their  respective  subjects)  were  quite 
overthrown  by  the  destruction  of  the  temple,  and  the  ex- 
pulsion of  the  Jews  out  of  the  land  of  Canaan,  which 
they  have  not  been  able  to  recover,  but  remain  dispersed 
over  the  face  of  the  whole  earth  to  this  day.  Thus  the 
Gospel  dispensation  was  erected,  and  spread  and  pre- 
vailed throughout  the  world. 

Some  time  after  the  establishment  of  the  Gospel,  a 
grand  apostacy  and  corruption  of  religion  took  place  in 
the  Christian  church,  which  was  predicted  by  the  apos- 
tles, and  at  large  foretold  in  the  book  of  the  Revelation. 

After  the  apostles  were  removed  out  of  the  world,  it 
pleased  God  to  leave  some  of  the  professors  of  the  Gospel, 
in  matters  of  religion,  to  their  own  ignorance,  passions 
and  prejudices. 

Thus  the  Christian  faith  by  degrees  was  depraved,  till 
the  man  of  sin  (that  is  the  church  of  Rome)  arose,  a 
tyrannical,  usurped  power,  domineering  over,  and  im- 
posing upon  conscience,  forbidding  the  use  of  understand- 
ing, and  intoxicating  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  with 
false  and  delusive  learning,  worldly  pomp  and  splendor, 
and  cruel  persecution  of  the  truth. 

This  was  to  be  a  long  and  severe  trial  of  the  faith  and 
patience  of  the  saints.  In  the  times  of  this  sad  dispensa- 
tion, it  is  certain,  we  are  now  living;  but  we  hope  to- 
wards the  Litter  eud  of  it.  Through  the  whole  course  of 
it,  God  hath  variously  appeared,  both  in  wrath  against 
the  corrupters  and  persecutors  of  religion ;  and  in  mercy 
for  the  comfort  and  support  of  those  who  have  labored 
under  their  oppression. 

This  persecution  continued  with  great  severity  for  a 
long  course  of  time,  till  at  length  the  morning  of  reform- 
ation appeared  in  our  happy  land,  which  for  some  cen- 


262  ON    THE    CONNECTION   BETWEEN 

turies  had  been  gradually  advancing,  and  still  continues 
to  advance  towards  the  perfect  day;  for  a  spirit  of  reli- 
gious liberty,  which  hath  been  long  oppressed,  revives 
and  gains  strength;  the  scriptures  are  more  carefully 
studied;  ecclesiastical  persecution  and  tyranny,  under 
every  form,  more  generally  detested ;  and  things  seem  to 
have  a  tendency  towards  love,  unity  and  concord,  the 
most  perfect  state  of  religion  in  this  world. 

This  must  afford  satisfaction  to  every  good  man  who 
will  cheerfully  join  his  endeavors  to  bring  on  the  next 
glorious  dispensation,  which  we  have  in  prospect,  when 
the  mystery  of  God,  with  regard  to  the  aforesaid  corrupt 
state  of  religion,  shall  be  finished,  when  Babylon,  in  all 
its  principles  and  powers,  shall  fall;  and  when  the  holy 
city,  the  new  Jerusalem,  shall  be  fully  established. 

Thus  have  we  endeavored  to  give  a  sketch  of  the 
works  of  God  from  the  beginning  of  the  world ;  and  very 
beautiful  and  surprizing  would  the  whole  appear,  could 
we  see  them  in  a  full  and  clear  light,  as  they  are  held 
forth  to  our  view  in  the  sacred  writings,  of  the  harmony 
and  agreement  of  which  they  are,  among  other  consider- 
ations, an  undoubted  evidence. 

As  scripture  is  the  best  explication  of  scripture,  we 
shall  make  some  general  remarks,  founded  on  the  same, 
which  will  greatly  assist  our  conceptions  of,  and  enquiries 
into  these  very  important  points. 

All  the  Divine  dispensations  are  agreeable  to  the  most 
perfect  rules  of  righteousness  and  truth.  Nothing  false, 
unjust,  or  injurious,  can  be  charged  on  the  ways  and 
works  of  God;  for  all  God's  ways  are  judgment;  a  God 
of  truth,  and  wit/iout  iniquity ;  just  and  right  is  he. 
Deut.  xxxii.  4.  The  Lord  is  righteous  in  all  his  ways, 
and  holy  in  all  his  works.    Psal.  cxlv.  17« 

The  ways  of  God  are  not  to  be  considered  as  the 
effects  of  necessity,  as  if  the  end  proposed  could  not 
possibly  have  been  gained  by  other  means ;  but  as  the 
result  of  choice,  or  Divine  wisdom,  preferring  such  par- 
ticular methods  to  any  other,  as  best  adapted  to  our  cir- 
cumstances, and  as  the  most  likely  to  make  mankind  wise 
and  happy. 


THE  OLD  AND  NEW  TESTAMENT.        263 

For  instance,  it  is  by  the  dispensation  of  God,  that 
our  present  life  is  sustained  by  food ;  not  because  it  is 
impossible  we  should  live  in  any  other  way,  for  the  Al- 
mighty could  sustain  us  in  perfect  health  by  an  act  of  his 
own  immediate  power.  Again,  our  food  is  produced  by 
the  influence  of  the  sun,  by  rain,  the  fertility  of  the 
ground :  not  because  food  could  not  be  otherwise  pro- 
duced, for  God  could  by  an  immediate  act  of  his  own 
power,  create  food  for  us  every  day,  as  he  did  for  the 
Israelites  in  the  wilderness;  but  this  method  of  sustaining 
our  lives  is  a  continuance  of  Divine  wisdom,  to  shew 
himself  to  our  understandings,  and  to  exercise  our  indus- 
try in  providing  a  subsistence,  and  to  be  mutually  help- 
ful to  each  other.  Hence  the  works  of  God,  in  scripture, 
are  assigned  to  his  wisdom.  See  Psal.  civ.  24.  Prov. 
viii.  21. 

All  the  dispensations  of  God  are  calculated  to  promote 
obedience  to  his  holy  will ;  or  to  promote  holiness  of 
heart  and  life.  This  is  the  line  which  runs  through  the 
whole;  for,  however  our  circumstances  may  differ  from 
those  of  our  first  parents,  the  end  of  our  being  is  the  same 
as  theirs,  and  we,  as  well  as  they,  are  upon  trial,  that  we 
by  grace  may  have  habits  of  holiness  confirmed  in  us, 
and  be  fitted  for  eternal  life,  which  is  the  inheritance  of 
those  that  are  sanctified. 

Though  it  is  a  melancholy  reflection  to  consider,  how 
the  wickedness  of  men  hath  from  time  to  time  abused  the 
patience  of  God,  yet  it  must  give  pleasure  to  observe, 
how  his  goodness  hath  applied  various  remedies  to 
prevent  or  heal  the  corruptions  of  mankind. 

In  whatever  way  they  have  gone  astray  from  him,  his 
wisdom  has  never  been  at  a  loss  to  find  out  the  most 
proper  expedients  to  reclaim  them.  His  gracious  design 
is  evidently  to  save  a  sinful  world,  and  to  carry  religion 
both  in  its  personal  influences,  and  general  prevalence,  to 
the  highest  perfection  our  present  condition  will  admit. 

The  scripture  dispensations  were  severally  adapted 
to  the  different  capacities  and  improvements,  as  also  to 
the  moral  state  and  circumstances,  of  mankind.  The 
several  ages  may  be  compared  to  the  several  stages  of 
human  life,  infancy,  youth,  manhood  and  old  age. 


264  ON    THE    CfONNECTIOX   BETWEEN 

Now,  as  man  under  due  culture  gradually  improves  in 
knowledge  and  wisdom,  from  infancy  to  old  age,  so  we 
may  conceive  of  the  world,  as  gradually  improving  in 
mental  and  religious  attainments  under  several  Divine 
dispensations :  which  dispensations  have  in  every  period 
been  suitable  to  the  improvements  in  knowledge,  which 
then  subsisted  in  the  world. 

Adam,  when  created,  may  be  considered  as  a  child 
without  knowledge,  learning  and  experience,  and  there- 
fore the  dispensation  he  was  under  was  very  different 
from  that  which  we  are  under,  who  enjoy  the  benefit  and 
light  of  so  many  preceding  dispensations. 

Thus  mankind,  reflecting  upon  preceding  dispensa- 
tions, will  be  admonished  and  directed  to  reform  old  er- 
rors and  corruptions;  and  thus,  even  the  monstrous  apos- 
tacy  of  the  church  of  Rome,  may  serve  to  introduce  and 
establish  the  most  perfect  state  of  Christianity,  that  we. 
expect  will  succeed  the  dispensation  under  which  we  live. 

All  God's  dispensations  have  a  practical  tendency,  or 
direct  to  holiness  or  obedience  to  his  law;  and  he  has  al- 
ways provided  sufficient  support  for  integrity  and  virtue. 
Tiie  sincere  and  upright,  who  chuse  the  way  of  truth,  or 
turn  from  sin  unto  righteousness,  the  righteous  and  mer- 
ciful God  will  never  forsake.  They  make  a  wise  improve- 
ment of  his  dispensations ;  and  under  all  trials  and  afflic- 
tions, he  will  guide  and  support  them ;  and  their  path 
shall  be  as  the  shining  light,  that  shineth  more  and  more 
unto  the  perfect  day. 

Known  unto  God  are  all  his  works,  from  the  beginning 
of  the  world,  saith  the  apostle  James.  Then  all  God's 
works  were  formed  and  planned  in  his  counsels,  and  lay 
under  his  eye  in  one  comprehensive  view,  and  therefore 
must  be  perfectly  consistent. 

One  uniform  method  must  be  laid,  and  one  even  thread 
of  design  must  run  through  the  whole.  They  are  not  the 
result  of  sudden  incoherent  thoughts,  but  a  well- digested 
plan,  formed  upon  the  justest  principles  by  him,  who 
seeth  all  his  works  from  the  beginning  to  the  end. 
Whence  it  follows,  that  if  we  do  not  discern  one  coherent 
design  in  the  Divine  dispensations :  or  if  we  make  any 


THE  OLD  AND  NEW  TESTAMENT.        36$ 

one  part  clash  with  the  rest,  we  may  be  sure  we  do  not 
understand  them. 

Goodness  was  the  principle  of  creation.  God  made  man 
because  he  delighted  to  communicate  being  and  happi- 
ness. Consequently  goodness  and  fatherly  love,  which 
was  the  beginning  and  foundation  of  God's  works,  must 
run  equally  through  them  all,  from  first  to  last. 

Previous  notice  was  given  of  some  of  the  principal  dis- 
pensations, either  for  warning,  or  to  prepare  men  for  the 
reception  of  them. 

The  deluge  was  preached  by  Noah  one  hundred  and 
twenty  years  before  it  came  to  pass. 

The  Jewish  dispensation  was  predicted  to  Abraham 
four  hundred  and  thirty  years  before-hand. 

Jeremiah  foretold  the  Babylonish  captivity,  and  Paul 
and  John  at  large  predicted  and  described  the  grand 
apostacy. 

But  the  coming  of  the  Messiah  and  the  Gospel  dispen- 
sation run  through  the  whole,  from  the  beginning  to  the 
end,  in  a  less  or  greater  degree  of  light;  and  it  was  fitting 
that  this,  which  is  the  chief  of  God's  works,  should  re- 
ceive the  highest  testimony  from  prophecy ;  therefore  it 
was  fit  it  should  not  be  introduced,  till  it  had  received 
that  evidence,  which  in  scripture  is  called  the  fulness  of 
time.    Gal.  iv.  4. 

The  dispensations  of  God  are  intended  for  our  study 
and  contemplation;  and  it  is  a  singular  advantage  to 
form  right  notions  of  them,  because  they  will  enlarge  our 
conceptions  of  God,  and  influence  our  dispositions  towards 
him. 

If  we  judge  truly  of  God's  works,  we  shall  have  hon- 
orable ideas  of  the  Divine  agent.  His  wisdom,  his  good- 
ness and  truth,  will  stand  in  a  fair  light,  and  we  shall 
coufess  him  infinitely  worthy  of  our  highest  regard. 
Then  we  shall  think  of  God  with  admiration,  pleasure 
and  delight.  Ps.  xcii.  4.  Thou  Lord  hast  made  me  glad 
through  thy  work;  I  will  triumph  in  the  works  of  thy 
hands. 

But  if  we  form  such  conceptions  of  the  ways  of  God, 
as  represent  them  to  be  arbitrary  and  tyrannical,  incon- 
sistent with  all  our  notions  of  justice  and  goodness,  the 

VOL.   iv.  L  L 


S66  ©N  THE   CONNECTION   BETWEEN 

effect  of  sovereigu  will,  without  either  reason  or  love,  lie 
must  stand  before  our  thoughts  in  the  most  frightful 
colors.  The  most  horrid  gloom  will  be  drawn  over  the 
perfections  of  the  best  of  heings,  our  minds  will  be  filled 
with  darkness  and  dread ;  and  if  we  worship  him  at  all, 
our  worship  and  obedience  will  not  be  the  free  and  gen- 
erous duty  of  sons ;  but  the  joyless,  constrained  drudgery 
of  slaves. 

It  must  be  remembered,  that  the  works  of  God  are  un- 
searchable, and  past  finding  out  to  perfection.  O  Lord, 
how  great  are  thy  works,  and  thy  thoughts  are  very  deep! 
Ps.  xciii.  5.  From  a  just  seuse  of  the  unfathomable  na- 
ture of  the  Divine  dispensation,  the  apostle  concludes  a 
discourse  upon  the  rejection  of  the  Jews,  and  the  calling 
of  the  Gentiles,  with  this  solemn  exclamation,  0  the  depth 
of  the  riches,  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God.' 
How  unsearchable  are  his  judgments  ;  And  his  ways  past 
finding  out.    Rom.  xi.  33. 

It  becomes  us  to  admire  and  adore  the  counsels  of  in- 
finite wisdom,  and  to  acquiesce,  where  we  cannot  gain  a 
full  knowledge  of  them.  We  cannot  comprehend  the 
ways  of  God  in  their  full  extent,  in  all  their  largest  views, 
and  remotest  connections.  He  therefore  that  is  wise, 
will  not  cavil  at  them,  nor  foolishly  endeavor  to  pry  into 
them,  beyond  the  bounds  of  revelation,  and  of  human  un- 
derstanding. 

Under  all  our  present  darkness,  and  under  every  dis- 
pensation, an  honest  heart,  sincerely  desirous  to  know 
the  truth,  will  be  seriously  inquisitive  after  it,  meekly 
submissive  to  what  God  hath  revealed  and  commanded; 
willing  to  work  together  with  him ;  and  patiently  perse- 
vere in  well-doing.  Such  a  temper,  and  such  a  conduct, 
is  the  best  and  safest  guide  under  every  dispensation, 
will  enable  us  to  follow  God,  to  comply  with  every  de- 
sign of  his  providence,  to  overcome  in  every  hour  of  trial, 
and  will  lead  us  to  eternal  life. 

For  this  reason,  then,  it  is  not  only  our  duty,  but  will 
be  the  most  evident  testimony  we  can  give  of  our  wisdom, 
frequently  to  read  and  meditate  on  the  Bible,  that  our 
minds  being  well  furnished  with  heavenly  knowledge, 


THE    OLD    AND    NEW   TESTAMENT.  2^7 

nml  our  hearts  tinctured  with  a  Divine  spirit,  wo  may  be 
prepared  for  glory,  honor  and  immortality. 

How  shall  the  young  secure  their  hearts, 

And  guard  their  lives  from  sin? 
Thy  word,  O  Lord,  dolli  rules  impart, 

To  keep  the  conscience  clean. 

When  once  it  enters  to  the  mind. 

It  spreads  such  light  abroad, 
The  meanest  souls  instruction  find, 

And  raise  their  thoughts  to  God. 

"Tis  like  the  sun,  an  heavenly  light, 

That  guides  us  all  the  day ; 
And  through  the  dangers  of  the  night, 

A  lamp  to  lead  our  way. 

Thy  word  is  everlasting  truth, 

How  pure  is  every  page! 
Thy  Holy  Book  shall  guide  our  youth. 

And  well  support  our  age. 


CHAP.   II. 

On  the  Necessity  of  an  extraordinainf  Revelation  from  God, 
as  deduced  from  the  depraved  State  of  Human  Nature. 

IX  the  preceding  chapter  we  have  endeavored  to 
demonstrate  the  great  and  close  connection  there  is  be- 
tween the  Old  and  New  Testament,  or  harmony  and 
agreemeut  of  the  sacred  writers;  which  we  have  done  by 
producing  various  proofs  and  arguments  drawn  from  the 
state,  circumstances,  and  conditions  of  the  writers,  the 
nature  of  their  subjects  and  the  Divine  dispensations  in 
general,  and  subjoined  such  remarks  as  may  tend  to  in- 
struct and  improve  the  serious  Christian  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  his  holy  profession.  We  shall,  therefore,  as  a 
necessary  companion  to  the  foregoing,  point  out,  in  this 
chapter,  the  necessity  of  an  extraordinary  revelation  from 


£68  ON   THE    NECESSITY 

God,  as  deduced  from  the  depraved  state  of  human  na 
ture. 

The  scriptures,  as  contained  in  the  Bible,  are  the  word 
of  God;  they  are  the  language  and  address  of  the  Uni- 
versal Father  to  his  children  in  this  world,  whom  he  ad- 
dresses in  the  character  of  Sovereign  Lord  of  the  uni- 
verse, and  strictly  enjoins  to  obey  his  voice.  The  scrip- 
tures are  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  are  profitable 
for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction 
in  righteousness.  2  Tim.  iii.  16. 

Mankind,  in  a  faithful  use  of  their  natural  powers, 
might  know  God.  Because  that  which  may  be  known  of 
God  is  manifest  in  them;  for  God  hath  shewed  it  unto 
them,  for  the  invisible  things  of  him,  from  the  creation 
of  the  world,  are  clearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the 
things  that  are  made,  Rom.  i.  19.  Bo  that  even  the 
heathens,  who  have  no  other  rule  than  the  light  of  nature, 
it  might  reasonably  be  thought  could  not  be  totally  igno- 
rant of  the  wise  dispensations  of  Providence. 

But  how  much  mankind,  in  all  ages,  have  abused  and 
misapplied  their  understandings,  is  notoriously  evident, 
and  therefore  it  must  be  clear  how  much  they  stand  in 
need  of  an  extraordinary  revelation  to  correct  their  errors, 
to  reduce  them  to  the  obedience  of  God,  and  to  secure 
them  from  relapsing  into  idolatry,  and  apostacy  from  him. 

No  book  certainly  can  contain  more  evident  marks  of 
such  Revelation  than  the  Scriptures,  eminently  so  called, 
of  which  we  are  happily  possessed.  In  them  we  have 
the  fullest  and  clearest  account  of  the  nature  and  perfec- 
tion of  God,  beyond  what  the  world  at  best  could  have 
attained  to,  and  far  beyond  what  could,  in  the  ordinary 
course  of  things,  have  been,  by  any  other  means,  pre- 
served through  succeeding  generations. 

In  the  scriptures,  as  in  a  durable  storehouse,  not  to  be 
demolished  by  time,  we  have  the  most  noble  discoveries 
of  the  nature  and  perfection  of  God,  as  he  is  our  Maker, 
our  Father,  Owner,  Ruler,  and  daily  Benefactor;  as  he 
is  glorious  in  all  his  attributes,  as  he  is  infinite,  and 
independent,  eternal,  and  unchangeable  in  his  being, 
knowledge,  wisdom  and  power,  as  perfectly  holy,  good, 
righteous  and  true. 


OF    AN    EXTRAORDINARY    REVELATION.  26fl 

•  These  glories  of  liis  Divine,  nature  are  described,  not 
in  the  way  of  philosophical  dissertations;  not  by  a  series 
of  abstract  reasoning,  which  arc  of  no  use  to  the  bulk  of 
mankind,  who  have  but  little  leisure,  and  perhaps  less 
inclination  to  attend  to  the  curious  and  abstruse  deduc- 
tions of  reason;  not  thus  are  the  glories  of  the  Divine 
nature  delineated  in  scripture,  but  exhibited  in  a  long, 
easy  and  intelligible  series  of  facts  and  events,  wherein 
God  hath  manifested  his  goodness,  wisdom,  power  and 
justice,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world. 

In  this  way  the  mind,  with  very  little  labor  of  thought, 
is  at  once  convinced  of  the  being  and  perfections  of  God, 
and  struck  with  admiration,  reverence,  love,  and  those 
other  affections,  which  the  knowledge  of  God  should 
produce  in  us. 

In  the  scriptures,  God  appears  not  only  in  every  view 
that  the  most  profound  philosophy  can  discover,  but  also 
in  a  practical  light.  We  are  there  taught,  that  great  as 
he  is  in  himself,  he  is  our  God  and  Father,  that  he  hath 
from  his  own  immensity  of  being,  given  us  being;  that  he 
constantly  regards  us,  interests  himself  in  our  affairs,  is 
concerned  for  our  welfare;  that  our  safety  is  in  his  favor, 
and  that  in  his  favor,  and  under  his  protection,  we  are  in- 
finitely safe  and  happy;  that  we  are  accountable  to  him 
for  our  actions ;  that  we  are  continually  under  his  eye ; 
that  he  hath  taken  us  into  the  nearest  relation  to  himself, 
and  that  in  order  to  promote  our  future  and  eternal  happi- 
ness, he  hath  carried  on  various  dispensations  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world  to  the  present  time. 

Thus  we  not  only,  in  the  easiest  and  clearest  way. 
learn  the  perfections  of  scripture,  but  we  learn  them  in  a 
manner  the  most  proper  and  powerful  to  engage  and  unite 
our  hearts  to  God,  and  cause  us  to  consider  ourselves  in- 
finitely interested  in  his  attributes  and  perfections. 

In  the  scriptures  we  may  not  only  with  case  learn  our 
duty  in  the  fullest  extent,  but  at  the  same  time,  by  the 
numerous  examples  of  pious  men  in  all  ages,  we  may  see 
that  it  is  practicable,  and  may  see  how  to  engage  in  it. 
By  reading  the  scriptures,  we  may  discern  the  reason- 
ableness aud  the  beauty  of  holiness,  and  also  be  furnished 
with  the  strongest  arguments  aud  motives  to  embrace  it 


S/0  OX   THE   NECESSITY 

and  to  persevere  therein.  We  are  also  assured  in  sacred 
writ  of  the  Divine  aid  and  assistance  in  our  duties,  trials 
and  temptations;  of  the  Divine  consolation  and  encourage- 
ment in  all  our  troubles  and  distresses;  and  if,  through 
the  Divine  grace,  we  persevere  in  faith  and  holiness,  of 
everlasting  glory  in  the  realms  of  bliss. 

In  this  sacred  treasure  we  have  the  truest  and  most  ef- 
fectual rules,  whereby  to  form  our  lives ;  not  simple  pro- 
positions, not  mere  lectures  of  dull  morality,  but  instruc- 
tions intermixed  with  the  promise  of  a  Divine  power  to 
work  mightily  in  us,  and  lead  us  to  a  Divine  life  and 
spiritual  nature. 

Here  religion  appears  In  all  its  truth,  lustre,  sweetness 
and  majesty.  Here  it  is  arrayed  in  all  its  charms,  not  as 
a  sour,  severe,  morose,  gloomy  principle,  forbidding  en- 
joyment, and  the  parent  only  of  sorrow,  horror  and  de- 
spair; but  as  our  life,  our  glory,  our  peace,  our  joy,  as 
giving  us  the  truest  relish  and  enjoyment  of  life,  as  the 
source  of  the  most  solid  pleasure  and  comfort,  uniting  us 
to  God,  as  lodging  us  for  ever  in  the  arms  of  Almighty 
love  and  goodness,  as  leading  to  and  preparing  us  for 
endless  joy  and  pleasure  at  his  right  hand. 

As  to  sin  and  wickedness,  philosophers  have  said 
much  concerning  the  odious  nature  of  vice,  that  it  is  evil, 
and  the  worst  of  evils,  that  is  the  disease  and  deformity  of 
the  mind,  pernicious  to  the  health  of  the  body,  and  ruinous 
to  the  worldly  interest. 

Their  reflections  were  so  far  just;  but  they  could  only 
be  comprehended  by  men  of  letters  and  study ;  the  com- 
mon people  received  little  or  no  advantage  from  them; 
hut  in  the  scriptures,  the  meanest  minds  are  favored  witli 
far  better  instructions  than  they  could  give. 

There  sin  is  not  only  set  forth  in  all  its  odious  colors, 
in  all  its  pernicious  effects,  as  to  the  present  life,  but  its 
deadly  nature  is  demonstrated  as  it  stands  in  contrariety 
to  God,  as  it  is  the  transgression  of  his  holy  law,  as  it  ex- 
poseth  us  to  his  displeasure,  and  is  opposite  to  all  the. 
ends  of  our  creation,  and  consequently  as  deserving  of 
death. 

In  scripture  we  learn,  that  God  will  punish  the  impeni- 
tent workers  of  iniquity  with  everlasting  destruction,  and 


OP    xs    EXTRAOBDINAHY  REVELATION.  271 

purge  out  of  his  kingdom  every  thing  that  offends.  All 
this  is  so  plainly  and  powerfully  inculcated  upon  the 
midd,  by  many  dreadful  examples  ot*  the  Divine  ven- 
ace  upon  ungodly  men  throughout  the  whole  scries  of 
scripture  history,  by  many  express  declarations  of  God's 
wrath,  and  so  many  exhortations  of  his  goodness  and 
mercy  to  turn  from  every  evil  way,  that  no  one  who 
carefully  and  seriously  reads  the  scriptures,  can  miss,  not 
only  of  seeing  the  evil,  the  irregularity  and  deformity  of 
sin,  but  of  having  his  mind  affected  witli  it,  and  being 
brought  into  the  most  settled  detestation  of  it. 

AVith  regard  to  pardon  of  sin,  the  wisest  of  philoso- 
phers seem  to  have  had  little  or  no  notion  of  it.  They 
considered  it  very  superficially,  as  repugnant  to  the  Di- 
vine perfection,  and,  therefore,  say  little  or  nothing, 
whether  God  would  be  propitious  to  sinners,  or  in  what 
way  he  would  be  pleased  in  his  wisdom  to  pardon  trans- 
gression. 

Sacrifices  were  frequent  among  them ;  but  they  seem  to 
have  understood  but  little  of  their  true  nature  and  end, 
nor  were  at  all  solicitous  to  enquire  into  them.  In  fact 
they  did  not  understand  the  true  demerit  of  sin,  and, 
therefore,  of  course  must  be  in  the  dark  as  to  the  re- 
mission of  it.  But  all  these  things  are  open  and  obvious 
to  the  weakest  capacity,  in  scripture. 

How  much  the  world  was  in  the  dark  about  a  future 
state,  without  a  revelation,  is  well  known ;  and  how  clear- 
ly the  world  to  come  is  opened  to  us  in  the  awful  pros- 
pects of  eternal  happiness,  or  endless  perdition,  can  be 
concealed  from  none  who  are  ever  so  little  acquainted 
witli  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 

These  things  duly  attended  to,  will  shew  the  precious 
value  of  the  holy  scriptures,  that  God's  word  is  truth,  and 
able  to  make  us  wise  unto  salvation,  and  further  demon- 
strate that  it  is  our  duty  to  be  frequently  attentive  in  read- 
ing them. 

Reading  the  scriptures  is  one  of  the  first  principles  of 
our  religion,  as  we  are  Christians;  because  our  profession 
is  built  wholly  upon  the  scriptures.  The  word  of  God  is 
the  guide  of  our  actions.  It  is  a  lamp  unto  our  feet,  and 
a  light  unto  our  "paths,  Vs.  cxix.  105.    Should  we  not 


272  ON   THE   NECESSITY 

then  diligently  study  the  word  of  God,  that  we  may  not 
wander  from  his  commandments? 

The  word  of  God  is  the  spring  of  all  our  hopes  and 
comfort.  There,  and  there  alone,  we  have  the  rich  and 
immense  treasure  of  the  Divine  promises;  and  from 
thence  alone,  we  can  draw  solid  support  and  consolation, 
in  a  dark  hour  of  trial  and  affliction. 

In  short,  to  all  the  valuable  purposes  of  knowledge  and 
life,  the  scriptures  excel  all  human  compositions  what- 
ever. The  writings  of  men  are  but  as  the  twinkliug  stars 
to  that  ocean  of  light,  which  is  daily  poured  forth  from 
the  body  of  the  sun.  Of  all  the  means  of  knowledge  and 
wisdom  in  the  world,  none  are  to  be  compared  with  the 
word  of  God.  We  should,  therefore,  have  our  eyes  in- 
tent upon  the  light,  for  God  hath  given  us  this  invaluable 
treasure,  the  holy  scriptures,  that  we  should  make  them 
our  study. 

It  must  be  carefully  observed,  that  it  is  not  enough  to  be 
frequently  reading  the  scriptures,  but  that  while  we  read, 
we  should  employ  all  our  attention  to  understand  them. 
The  scripture  may  be  understood,  but  evidently  not  in 
every  degree  by  every  man ;  for  as  there  are  various  sorts 
and  degrees  of  knowledge  in  scripture,  some  perhaps, 
at  present,  beyond  the  reach  of  any  man  that  ever  yet 
was  in  the  world;  and  as  there  are  men  in  various  capaci- 
ties and  degrees  of  learning,  so  it  is  manifest,  all  men 
cannot  attain  to  the  same  degree  of  understanding  in  Di- 
vine things ;  but  there  must  necessarily  be  a  great  differ- 
ence between  the  knowledge  of  one  man  and  another  in 
matters  of  faith  and  revelation. 

This  shews  the  absurdity  of  the  popish  scheme,  which 
pretends  to  reduce  the  Christian  faith  in  all  its  parts  to  a 
certain  invariable  standard,  to  which  every  man  either 
with  or  without  understanding,  must  conform. 

This  also  shews,  that  notwithstanding  it  is  our  duty  to 
communicate  knowledge  to  one  another,  it  is  repugnant 
to  the  nature  and  design  of  Christianity,  to  quarrel  with 
one  another,  or  to  be  displeased,  because  we  have  not  the 
same  degree  of  understanding  in  matters  of  faith ;  be- 
cause this,  according  to  the  present  constitution  of  our 


OF  AN  EXTRAORDINARY  REVELATION.      273 

minds,  and  of  the  revelation  God  hath  given  us,  equally 
understood  by  all.  is  absolutely  impracticable. 

But  although  the  scriptures  are  not  understood  in  every 
degree  by  every  man,  yet  they  may  be  understood  by 
every  man,  so  far  as  God  requircth ;  that  is,  so  far  as  he 
is  capable  of  understanding  them;  for  what  a  man  can 
understand;  lie  may  understand,  if  he  is  not  wanting  to 
himself. 

Further,  those  things  in  scripture  which  arc  of  the 
highest  importance,  and  conducive  to  eternal  life  and  sal- 
vation, are  easy  to  be  understood,  and,  therefore,  how 
perplexed  soever  other  things  may  be,  about  which  men 
have  differed,  and  which  men  by  their  difference,  have 
more  perplexed ;  the  grand  principles  of  faith  in  Christ, 
and  obedience  to  the  rules  of  the  Gospel  are  so  evident, 
that  any  ordinary  capacity  may,  with  due  care  and  atten- 
tion, easily  gain  a  complete  knowledge  of  them. 

The  things  chiefly  to  be  understood  iu  scripture,  are 
Principles,  or  the  grounds  and  reasons  of  things,  and 
Precepts,  which  are  the  rules  of  duty ;  now  if  we  mistake 
either,  we  shall  throw  all  into  confusion,  our  way  will  be 
all  mist  and  clouds,  that  which  should  be  light  will  be 
darkness,  or,  which  is  the  same,  a  false  light,  to  mislead 
us :  that  which  should  be  our  joy,  will  be  heaviness ;  that 
which  should  be  our  comfort,  and  inspire  cheerful  hope, 
will  be  a  dead  weight  to  burthen  our  spirits  and  clog  our 
course.  Our  path,  which  should  be  as  the  shining  light, 
that  shineth  more  aud  more,  will  be  a  gloomy,  melancholy 
road,  and  we  shall  make  our  way  with  difficulty,  because 
we  want  that  true  sense  and  knowledge  of  the  ways  and 
will  of  God,  which  is  necessary  to  give  life,  comfort  and 
vigor.  Frightful  images  will  terrify  our  consciences,  and 
fill  us  with  groundless  fear.  God  will  be  described  in  a 
monstrous  light,  aud  all  the  ravishing  glories  of  his  truth, 
wisdom  and  love,  which  should  powerfully  draw  our 
hearts  to  him,  will  be  hid  from  our  eyes.  The  lustre  of 
redeeming  grace  will  be  eclipsed ;  some  parts  of  religion 
will  be  superstitiously  magniGed,  while  others  will  be 
undervalued. 

Further,  if  for  want  of  due  attention  to  the  sense  of 
scripture  we  mistake,  or  fall  into  error,  we  ought  to  be 

vol.  iv.        31  M 


&74'  Otf  THE  NECESSITY 

sensible  that  religious  error  is  of  a  far  worse  nature  than 
any  other :  not  only  as  it  is  an  error  in  a  matter  of  the 
greatest  importance,  but  as  it  is  of  all  others  the  most 
difficult  to  be  corrected.  Hence  those  grosser  instances  of 
persecution  and  bloodshed,  which  have  indelibly  stained 
the  Christian  name.  Hence  those  wranglings,  debates, 
heats  and  animosities,  which  have  destroyed  Christian 
societies.  These  things  are  the  fruits  of  men's  taking 
their  religious  principles  upon  trust,  and  not  founding 
them  on  the  scriptures  studied  and  understood  by  them- 
selves. Such  contempt  and  neglect  of  the  word  of  God, 
exposeth  them  to  strong  delusion,  and  such  delusion 
leads  them  to  fight  in  the  dark  for  they  know  not  what, 
Thus  religion  is  corrupted,  the  corruption  of  it  defended, 
and  irreligion  and  infidelity  propagated,  even  by  those 
who  profess  themselves  religious  people. 

By  these  unhappy  means,  what  numbers  in  our  land 
have  been  drawn  into  deism !  xind  by  these  unhappy 
means  (if  the  truth  were  known)  religion  appears  but  in 
a  doubtful  light  to  many,  who  seem  to  be  strict  professors 
of  it;  for  where  it  is  not  received  in  the  proper  evidence., 
there  cannot  be  a  full  and  strong  assent  of  faith ;  and  no 
man  can  receive  it  in  its  proper  evidence,  who  does  not 
carefully  endeavor  to  understand  the  scriptures. 

Thus  many  who  talk  much  of  the  word  of  God,  and 
pretend  a  great  reverence  for  it,  may  possibly  at  the  last 
day,  be  ranked  among  the  despisers  of  it ;  because  al- 
though they  have,  perhaps,  been  frequently  reading  it, 
they  never  set  themselves  in  good  earnest  to  understand 
it,  and  so  in  effect  might  as  well  not  have  read  it  at  all ; 
for  their  reading  it  is  only  from  a  superstitious  opinion, 
as  Turks,  Jews,  and  Papists  turn  over  the  books  in  re- 
putation among  them,  not  from  a  love  of  truth,  or  a  desire 
of  understanding  truth;  not  to  open  their  eyes,  and  to 
give  them  a  more  just  and  distinct  view  of  the  ways  and 
dispensations  of  God;  not  to  confirm  and  establish  their 
minds  in  the  faith  of  God,  and  of  Christ:  not  for  those 
purposes,  it  is  much  to  be  feared,  are  the  scriptures  read, 
but  only  iu  a  customary,  superstitious  way,  or  at  least 
very  carelessly  and  superficially;  and,  therefore,  there 
are  so  few  professors  of  Christianity  that  grow  in  grace, 


OF  AN  EXTRAORDINARY  REVELATION.      C-' 

who  rise  in  spiritual  strength,  peace,  love  and  joy ;  be- 
cause there  are  so  few  that  grow  in  the  knowledge  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ,  2  Pet.  iii.  18. 

Whatever  things  were  written  aforetime,  were  icrit- 
ten  for  our  learning,- for  our  instruction,  that  we  through 
patience  and  comfort  of  the  scriptures  might  have  hope, 
Horn.  xv.  4.  We  have  hope  through  that  patience  and 
comfort  which  is  taught  in  the  scriptures;  but  the  grounds 
and  reasons  of  that  patience  and  comfort  must  be  under- 
stood ;  otherwise  we  cannot  establish  in  our  minds  a  sure 
and  solid  hope. 

Hence  it  is  that  the  Christian  hope,  that  faith  and  hope 
which  overcometh  the  world,  are  so  very  rare ;  therefore, 
so  few  rejoice  in  hope,  because  so  few  understand  the 
scriptures  which  are  the  ground  and  foundation  of  the 
true  Christian  hope. 

Let  it  be  remembered,  that  we  shall  have  the  benefit  of 
the  scriptures  by  studiously  endeavoring  to  understand 
them,  and  then  shall  we  learn,  if  we  follow  on,  to  know 
the  Lord. 

So  far  as  we  understand  the  word  of  truth,  we  shall 
be  truly  enlightened,  our  consciences  will  be  rightly  di- 
rected, and  all  our  principles  well  established ;  we  shall 
see  its  real  value,  and  it  will  be  proportionably  esteemed ; 
we  shall  taste  its  comforts,  feel  its  power,  be  convinced 
of  its  Divine  original,  and  it  will  be  both  pleasant  and 
precious  to  us.  The  more  we  understand  of  the  scriptures, 
with  the  greater  pleasure  we  shall  see  the  righteousness, 
wisdom,  and  goodness  of  all  Divine  dispensations,  that 
all  of  them  are  adjusted  and  settled  by  the  love  of  a 
father,  and  calculated  to  promote  our  happiness.  This 
will  draw  our  hearts  to  God,  and  shew  us  the  propriety 
of  acquiescing  with  the  constitutions  of  his  grace. 

If  we  build  upon  the  foundation  of  the  prophets  and 
apostles,  our  faith  will  stand  upon  a  sure  bottom,  and  not 
upon  the  weak,  precarious  judgment  of  man;  henceforth 
we  shall  be  no  more  children  tossed  to  and  fro,  and  car- 
ried about  with  every  wind  of  doctrine,  but  shall  by  use 
have  our  senses  exercised  to  discern  both  good  and  evil. 
Thus  we  shall  grow  up  into  Christ  in  all  things,  in 
knowledge,  in  faith,  and  in  love.   Thus  we  shall  be  root- 


S76  ON    THE   NECESSITY,  &C. 

ed  and  grounded  in  love,  in  the  love  of  God,  of  truth,  and 
of  our  neighbor.  The  knowledge  we  gain,  whether  it  be 
more  or  less,  being  drawn  from  the  fountain,  will  com 
pose  our  spirits,  and  incline  us  neither  to  despise  the 
weakness  of  those  that  know  less,  nor  reject  the  instruc- 
tions of  those  that  may  know  more  than  ourselves.  These 
weighty  considerations  should  engage  us  to  read  the 
scriptures,  with  all  possible  care  and  diligence ;  and  to 
study  them  with  an  upright  desire  of  gaining  their  true 
sense  and  meaning. 

We  all  know  how  much  men  are  at  variance  concern- 
ing  the  true  sense  and  import  of  scripture,  one  affirming 
that  this,  another  that  that,  is  the  precise  meaning ;  but 
this  variety  of  sentiments  is  permitted  to  teach  us  to 
practice  charity  towards  one  another,  and  should  convince 
us  that  we  ought  not  to  resign  our  understanding  to 
others,  but  be  ultimately  guided  by  the  scriptures  them- 
selves. 

Upon  the  whole,  it  is  evident  from  the  fallible  state  of 
human  nature,  the  prevalence  of  human  prejudices,  the 
defects  of  human  reason,  and  the  proneness  of  mankind  in 
general  to  sin  and  iniquity  of  every  kind  and  degree,  that 
a  certain  method  of  direction  from  the  all- wise  God  is  ab- 
solutely necessary  to  guide  them  into  those  paths  that 
lead  to  the  obedience  of  his  will,  and  their  own  truest  in- 
terest and  happiness ;  it  is  also  as  evident,  that  the  sacred 
scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament  are  entirely 
and  fully  conducive  to  those  grand  important  purposes, 
being,  as  before  observed,  given  by  inspiration  of  God, 
and  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof  for  correction f 
for  instruction  in  righteousness ;  that  the  man  of  God, 
may  be  perfect m9  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works. 


CHAP.  111. 

On  the  Authority  and  Excellency  of  the  Scriptures,  founded  on 
the  express  and  frequent  Assertions  of  Moses,  the  Prophets 
and  Apostles. 

IT  has  been  already  observed,  that  a  Divine  revela- 
tion is  perfectly  consonant  to  the  goodness  and  love  of 
God,  to  the  relation  in  which  we  stand  to  him,  and  the 
gracious  purposes  for  which  he  has  given  us  being.  We 
have  likewise  endeavored  to  prove  the  expediency  of 
Revelation  from  the  depraved  state  of  human  nature,  and 
shall  now  observe,  that  no  books  were  ever  more  publicly, 
or  more  commonly  known,  being  read  and  heard  with  the 
greatest  reverence  once  a  week,  in  both  Jew  and  Christian 
assemblies,  for  a  very  long  course  of  time ;  the  Old  Testa- 
ment before  the  coming  of  our  Lord,  and  the  Old  and 
New  after  his  coming,  to  this  very  day.  So  that  it  is,  in 
the  nature  of  things,  impossible  that  the  holy  scriptures 
should  be  adulterated ;  nor  could  any  man,  who  was  dis- 
posed to  alter  or  corrupt  them,  promise  himself  success  in 
an  attempt,  which  must  immediately  be  detected  and  con 
founded  by  thousands  of  copies  every  where  dispersed, 
and  constantly  read  before  numerous  assemblies  in 
various  languages  of  even  more  nations  than  ever  com- 
posed the  Roman  empire  in  its  largest  extent. 

Transcribers  may,  indeed,  make  literal  mistakes,  but 
those  are  easily  corrected  by  a  variety  of  manuscripts ; 
and  translators  may  differ  in  giving  the  literal  sense  of 
some  words  and  phrases;  but  not  so  as  to  render  the  sub- 
jects and  substance  of  the  scriptures,  either  obscure  or  un- 
certain ;  for  you  may  take  any  translation  in  any  language. 
or  done  by  any  party  among  Christians,  and  you  will 
find  they  all  agree  in  the  great  doctrines  of  salvation,  and 
the  several  laws  and  duties  enjoined  by  the  Divine  com- 
mand :  though  they  may  not  render  the  letter  of  the  text 
in  the  same  words,  nor  with  the  same  propriety  of  ex- 
pression. 

The  more  perfect  and  exact  in  every  point  any  trans- 
lation is,  the  better  it  is :  but  it  is  very  certain,  that  all 


&78  ON   THE    AUTHORITY 

things  pertaining  to  the  dispensations  of  God,  his  grace 
and  promises,  and  our  hopes  and  duty,  have  been  pre- 
served pure  and  entire  in  every  translation,  from  tSie  be- 
ginning to  this  day;  and  this  is  abundantly  sufficient  for 
our  instruction,  comfort,  direction,  and  edification. 

Persons  in  foreign  commerce,  who  do  not  understand 
foreign  languages,  are  obliged  to  carry  it  on  by  the  help 
of  translators ;  and  if  a  letter  in  Italian,  German,  Spanish 
or  French,  was  put  into  the  hands  of  twenty  translators, 
it  is  much  if  every  translation  would  not  differ  more  or 
less  in  some  expressions,  and  yet  they  might  all  agree 
with  respect  to  the  sense  of  the  merchant ;  and  this  being 
all  his  correspondent  wants  to  understand,  he  will  not 
think  it  worth  his  pains  to  enter  into  points,  or  a  critical 
propriety  of  phrases,  which  have  no  reference  to  his  busi- 
ness. 

Just  so  it  is  with  respect  to  the  translation  of  the  bible. 
In  more  than  the  space  of  an  hundred  years,  learning 
may  have  received  considerable  improvements,  and  by 
that  means  some  inaccuracies  may  be  found  in  a  transla- 
tion, more  than  an  hundred  years  old ;  but  those  who  are 
disposed  to  believe  the  authenticity  of  scripture,  may  rest 
fully  satisfied,  that  as  our  English  translation  is  in  itself, 
by  far  the  most  excellent  book  in  our  language,  so  it  is  a 
pure  and  plentiful  fountain  of  Divine  knowledge,  giving  a 
true,  clear  and  full  account  of  the  Divine  dispensations,  and 
particularly  of  the  Gospel  of  our  salvation,  insomuch,  that 
whoever  studies  the  same,  studies  the  only  way  to  eternal 
happiness. 

Thus  by  shewing  the  sufficiency  of  the  translation, 
which,  thanks  be  to  God,  is  in  our  hands,  the  way  is  pre 
pared  for  advancing  a  few  arguments  to  establish  the  au- 
thority and  excellency  of  the  scriptures,  and  to  shew  they 
were  indeed  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  or  that,  in  them, 
the  holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
holy  spirit. 

We  have  sufficient  reason  to  believe,  that  we  have  in 
our  hands  the  very  books  that  were  written  by  Moses,  by 
the  prophets,  and  by  the  apostles  of  Christ.  Now  that 
those  books  were  given  by  inspiration  from  God,  or  that 
the  persons  who  wrote  them  have  delivered  to  us  what 


AND    EXCELLENCY    OF   THE    SCRIPTURES.  279 

they  received  from  heaven,  will  appear  from  their  own 

express  and  frequent  assertions. 

Moses  and  the  prophets  always  declared  they  spake  in 

(he  name  of  the  Lord,  and  delivered  to  the  people  what 

they  received  in  commission  from  him. 
The  apostles,    likewise,    assure   us,   that   they  were 

taught  hy  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God;  were  endued 
with  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  commissioned  by  him  to 
preach  the  Gospel  to  all  nations:  and  we  have  the  utmost 
reason  to  believe  that  they  have  strictly  told  us  the  truth. 
They  appear  to  have  been  persons  of  the  greatest 
characters  for  honor  and  probity.  In  the  whole  of  their 
conduct  we  find  the  utmost  integrity  and  disinterestedness, 
and  in  every  part  of  their  history  and  writings  the  utmost 
simplicity  and  impartiality. 

We  may  carry  this  argument  further,  and  set  it  in  a 
still  stronger  light  in  the  case  of  the  prophets.  It  is  cer- 
tain that  the  prophets  in  a  long  series,  one  after  another, 
gained  no  advantage  from  speaking  in  the  name  of  the. 
Lord ;  but  on  the  other  hand,  that  they  incurred  scorn  and 
contempt  from  the  generality  of  their  countrymen.  When 
they  entered  upon  the  ungrateful  office,  they  renounced 
all  worldly  views,  and  were  harassed  and  persecuted  in 
proportion  to  their  fidelity  in  executing  their  commission. 
Now,  there  is  nothing  to  be  found  in  human  nature,  or 
in  any  state  of  things,  that  can  be  supposed  to  exist,  that 
can  possibly  account  for  this  conduct,  but  that  they  really- 
had  a  Divine  commission  from  God ;  and  their  writings 
prove  they  were  men  of  good  understanding,  and  of  a 
sound  and  excellent  judgment. 

The  force  of  this  argument  will  be  seen  more  evidently 
in  the  case  of  the  apostles.  No  history  in  the  world  hath 
been  better  preserved  than  that  of  the  New  Testament: 
there  we  find  that  Jesus  Christ  had  gathered,  while  he 
was  upon  earth,  some  hundreds  of  disciples,  who  all  made 
profession  of  faith  to  him,  immediately  after  his  death, 
declaring  that  he  was  risen  from  the  dead,  and  ascended 
into  heaven.  Particularly  the  apostles,  with  several 
others,  went  about  preaching  the  Gospel,  first  in  Judea, 
then  in  all  parts  of  the  Roman  empire,  persuading  them 
to  believe  in  Christ,  affirming  that  he  was  the  Son  of 


£80  ON   THE   AUTHORITY 

God,  that  all  the  wonderful  works  related  of  liim  were 
true,  and  that  they  had  a  commission  from  heaven  to 
teach  and  propagate  his  religion  every  where,  though 
they  should  every  where  meet  with  the  most  violent  op- 
position and  the  cruellest  treatment. 

The  apostles  had  an  amazing  knowledge  of  God,  and 
the  perfections  of  the  Divine  nature;  they  set  the  dispen- 
sations of  his  wisdom,  and  the  grand  design  of  his  love  in 
the  clearest  and  most  amiable  light;  they  well  understood 
the  whole  system  of  the  Divine  law  as  a  perfect  rule  of 
practice,  and  fixed  every  branch  of  it  upon  a  proper  foun- 
dation. They  were  men  of  the  most  excellent  and  Divine 
spirit,  next  to  their  Lord  and  Master,  that  the  world  was 
ever  acquainted  with. 

They  were  fully  satisfied  that  what  they  reported  was 
true,  and  they  were  perfectly  capable  of  receiving  the 
clearest  evidence,  and  fullest  satisfaction ;  what  they  re- 
ported was  not  a  matter  of  mere  opinion,  as  in  the  case  of 
superstition,  nor  a  warm  suggestion,  or  secret  impulse 
upon  their  minds,  as  in  the  ease  of  enthusiasm,  but  a 
plain  matter  of  fact.  We  cannot  (say  they)  but  speak  the 
things  which  we  have  seen  and  heard.    Acts  iv.  10. 

They  were  not  things  which  they  conceived  or  fancied, 
but  which  all  of  them,  with  great  multitudes  of  people, 
had  often  and  openly,  for  more  than  three  years  together, 
seen  witli  their  eyes,  and  heard  with  their  ears ;  and  that 
they  were  not  mistaken  or  deceived,  they  were  so  fully 
satisfied,  that  they  ventured  all  they  had  in  the  world, 
and  even  life  itself,  upon  the  truth  of  what  they  had 
heard  and  seen ;  consequently,  their  assurance  must  be  to 
the  highest  and  fullest  degree  of  satisfaction,  leaving  no 
room  for  doubt  or  uncertainty. 

It  is  certain  the  apostles,  who  were  the  familiar  com- 
panions of  our  blessed  Lord,  had  not  the  least  scruple  or 
difficulty  concerning  any  thing  related  in  the  Gospel. 
They  were  fully  convinced,  perfectly  assured,  they  saw 
Christ  upon  earth,  that  they  conversed  with  him,  that  they 
heard  the  gracious  words  which  proceeded  from  his 
mouth,  that  they  saw  him  work  miracles,  that  they  be- 
held him  crucified  and  dead,  that  they  saw  him  alive 
again  in  a  few  days,  that  they  heard  him  give  them  a 


AND    EXCELLEXCY    OF   THE    SCRIPTURES.  2$i 

commission  to  preach  tlic  Gospel  to  all  nations,  and 
promise  them  success ;  that  they  actually  saw  him  ascend 
up  into  heaven;  that  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  upon  them  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  that  by  his  influence  they 
actually  felt  themselves  endued  with  a  new  and  miracu- 
lous power,  which  accompanied  them  during  the  course 
of  their  ministry;  and  to  their  being  fully  persuaded  of 
the  truth  of  these  things,  and  to  no  other  possible  cause, 
can  we  assign  their  steady  and  zealous  endeavors  to  pub- 
lish and  spread  the  Gospel. 

Add  to  all  this,  that  the  apostles  were  amazingly  suc- 
cessful in  preaching  the  Gospel,  amidst  all  the  opposition 
with  which  they  met,  during  the  course  of  their  ministry. 

These  men  in  private  and  humble  life,  these  defence- 
less men,  quite  destitute  of  all  worldly  power  and  inter- 
est, only  by  the  force  of  truth,  the  truth  of  the  Gospel, 
Avhich  they  preached,  and  the  power  which  they  received 
from  their  Master,  after  he  ascended  into  heaven,  en- 
countered the  fury  of  a  bigotted  and  enraged  multitude, 
and  overcame  the  most  inveterate  prejudices. 

Their  doctrine  had  a  most  amazing  effect  and  influence 
on  the  minds  of  multitudes,  who,  by  the  power  of  God, 
at  their  preaching,  were  daily  added  to  the  church. 

These  considerations,  weighed  together  in  an  impartial 
balance,  will  sufficiently  prove  the  authenticity  of  the 
apostles'  mission  and  doctrine,  that  they  received  their 
commission  and  instruction  from  Jesus  the  eternal  Son  of 
God ;  and  upon  the  grounds  of  this  argument  alone,  the 
sincere  believer  may  be  fully  convinced  that  the  apostles 
were  inspired  by  the  spirit  of  God,  and  that  they  have  in 
their  writings  infallibly  delivered  the  truth,  in  all  things 
pertaining  to  the  Christian  faith  and  doctrine. 

If  Jesus  Christ  came  from  the  right  hand  of  his  Father 
to  explain  to  us  the  Divine  mind  and  will;  if  his  apostles 
were  taught  by  him,  and  after  his  ascension  received  the 
gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  a  most  miraculous  manner,  en- 
abling them  to  perform  wonders  in  confirmation  of  the 
doctrine  they  delivered;  it  certainly  follows,  that  the 
books  of  Moses,  and  of  the  prophets,  are  undoubtedly  the 
word  of  God ;  and  that  the  sacred  history  may  be  de- 
pended on  as  a  true  account  of  things :  for  those  books 

vol.  iv.         N  w 


28&  ON    THE    AUTHORITY 

are  not  only  asserted  by  our  Lord  and  his  apostles,  in 
general,  to  be  the  word  of  God,  given  by  inspiration,  and 
a  true  rule  of  knowledge,  faith  and  doctrine ;  but  particu- 
lar passages  are  frequently  produced  in  proof  or  confirm- 
ation of  the  doctrine  they  taught,  and  almost  every  single 
part  of  the  history,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  as  of 
Adam,  Enoch,  Noah,  the  Deluge,  Sodom  and  Gomorrah, 
Abraham,  the  Israelites,  and  their  miraculous  deliverance 
from  Egypt,  and  settlement  in  the  Land  of  Canaan,  and 
all  the  surprizing  events  in  their  history,  are  referred  to 
as  undeniably  authentic. 

What  our  Blessed  Lord  and  his  apostles  have  taught 
in  the  books  of  the  New  Testament,  is  certainly  the 
truth,  as  they  received  it  from  God.  Wherefore  the 
scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament  are  also  given  by  in- 
spiration, and  are  a  sacred  repository  of  Divine  knowl- 
edge, of  undoubted  credit  and  veracity;  for  our  Lord  and 
his  apostles  have  represented  and  established  them  as 
such. 

Therefore  the  frequent  and  express  assertions  of  Moses, 
the  prophets  and  apostles,  taken  in  connection  with  their 
proper  circumstances,  is  a  proof  of  the  truth  of  revelation, 
as  it  stands  in  the  scriptures. 

Thus  we  have  endeavored  to  deduce  the  authority  and 
excellence  of  the  scriptures,  as  contained  in  the  Holy 
Bible,  and  comprizing  the  books  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testament,  from  the  express,  frequent  and  concurring 
declarations  of  their  respective  writers,  viz.  Moses,  the 
prophets  and  apostles,  and  would  subjoin  this  single  re- 
mark for  the  comfort  and  edification  of  the  pious  Chris- 
tian. 

As  you  find,  upon  the  strictest  examination,  an  entire 
uniformity  of  doctrine,  opinion  and  sentiment,  concerning 
the  great  things  of  God  in  all  the  sacred  writings,  that 
they  all  represent  the  Divine  nature  in  the  same  light :  in 
short,  as  they  all  tend  absolutely  to  lead  us  to  the  cove- 
nant of  grace  and  the  sufferings  and  atonement  of  Jesus 
Christ  for  life  and  salvation;  let  us  not  be  wavering  in 
our  opinion,  but  steadfastly  maintain  the  faith  once  de- 
livered to  the  saints,  ever  remembering  that  He  is  faith- 
ful,  who  hath  promised,  and   who  has  declared,  that 


^\l>    EXCELLENT  \     OF    THE    SCRIPT!  RES. 

fa  ,tucu  and  earth  way  pass  away,  but  not  one  jot  or  tUth 
of  his  word  shall  pass  away. 


CHAP.  IV. 

On  the  internal  Worth  and  Excellency  of  the  Scriptures,  as 
containing  the  best  Principles  of  Knowledge,  Holiness  and 
Comfort. 

THE  arguments  wo  have  already  advanced  are 
taken  from  the  external  evidence,  that  the  scriptures  are 
the  word  of  God :  we  now  proceed  to  consider  their  in- 
ternal wortb  and  excellency,  which  more  fully  and  clear- 
ly demonstrates  their  Diviue  original,  and  falls  in  with 
the  second  part  of  our  design,  which  was  to  state  the  use 
and  importance  of  the  holy  scriptures. 

Considering  the  sacred  writings  as  a  gift  and  blessing 
from  God,  the  father  of  all  light,  and  fountain  of  all  good, 
for  our  improvement  in  knowledge  and  holiness,  in  order 
to  our  being  advanced  to  eternal  glory  and  happiness,  we 
may  in  general  conclude,  that  the  scriptures  are  in  worth 
and  usefulness  fully  proportionable  to  the  wisdom  and 
goodness  of  the  donor,  and  to  the  noble  and  beneficent 
end  for  which  they  are  intended.  They  are  a  glorious 
display  of  heavenly  light,  irradiating  the  darkness  of  the 
world,  which  otherwise  would  have  been  involved  in  the 
blackest  night  of  ignorance. 

Let  it  be  observed  to  the  honor  of  the  bible,  that  it  is 
the  book,  which,  under  the  Divine  Providence,  has  pre- 
served in  the  world,  the  knowledge  of  the  only  true  God, 
which  otherwise  must  have  been  lost  and  extinguished; 
for  when  God  iu  his  infinite  wisdom  was  pleased  to  call 
Abraham,  and  separate  his  family  to  the  purposes  of  rev- 
elation, idolatry,  even  in  those  early  days,  not  long  after 
the  flood,  was  so  far  spread,  that  some  of  Abraham's 
family  were  idolaters,  and  served  other  gods. 

So  far  indeed  did  the  corruption  of  religion  prevail, 
'hat  all  nations,  losing  the  true  idea  of  the  great  and 


281  ON    THE    INTERNAL    WORTH 

glorious  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  fell  into  the  gross- 
est idolatry  and  superstition,  together  with  every  abomin- 
able vice,  except  the  nation  of  the  Jews,  who  enjoyed  the 
word  and  revelation  of  God  ;  and  it  was  that  very 
Word  and  revelation  after  our  Saviour  came  into  the 
world,  which  enlightened  the  Gentiles,  and  so  generally 
brought  them  over  to  the  worship  and  obedience  of  the 
great  Lord  of  the  universe. 

Under  God,  the  scripture  must  be  owned  the  instru- 
mental cause  of  all  the  true  religiou  that  is  to  be  found  in 
the  world,  and  it  will  be  established  more  and  more;  it 
will  shine  forth  more  and  more;  it  will  be  honored  mora 
and  more,  in  the  truth  of  its  doctrines,  in  the  wisdom  of 
its  precepts,  in  the  accomplishment  of  its  predictions  and 
promises,  and  in  the  appearing  of  our  Lord  at  the  last 
day  to  receive  in  his  joy  all  that  know  and  obey  the 
Gospel  of  his  grace. 

Thus  much  may  be  truly  said  of  the  usefulness  of 
scripture  in  general,  which  gives  it  infinitely  the  prefer- 
ence to  all  books  of  mere  human  composition,  as  it  has 
been  the  means  of  preserving  in  the  world  the  grand  prin- 
ciples of  religion,  the  knowledge  of  the  being  aud  per- 
fections of  God,  and  of  the  true  spiritual  worship,  which 
alone  pleaseth  him,  and  cnobles,  purifies  and  comforts 
our  souls;  and  just  in  proportion  as  the  bible  is  received, 
esteemed  and  diligently  studied,  true  religion  has  pre 
vailed,  and  will  always  prevail  and  flourish.  On  the 
other  hand,  in  proportion  as  the  scriptures  are  unknown, 
neglected,  abused  and  perverted ;  ignorance,  idolatry,  ir- 
religion,  error,  superstition  and  immorality,  have  and 
will  spread  their  gloom,  and  more  or  less  infect  nations 
and  particular  persons. 

The  scriptures  contaiu  principles,  which  must  be  al- 
lowed to  be  of  a  superior  and  excellent  kind.  The  best 
principles  that  can  be  found  of  knowledge,  holiness  and 
comfort.  Here  the  mind  expatiates  in  a  boundless  field 
of  heavenly  light,  and  clearly  views  the  prospects  of 
truth,  where  the  eye  of  mere  nature  could  never  have 
penetrated.  Here  we  see  the  being  of  God  asserted,  his 
nature  and  perfections,  his  glorious  majesty  and  universal 
sovereignty  described,  with  the  justcst  propriety  of  senti- 


AND    EXCELLENCE    OF   THE   SCIUFTLUES.  288 

ment,  and  the  utmost  elegance  of  language.  A  few  sen- 
tences in  tliis  holy  book  will  give  us  much  clearer  cun- 
ceptions  of  God,  than  all  the  volumes  of  philosophy, 
written  by  strangers  to  revelation.  Here  we  are  taught 
the  various  dispensations  of  Divine  wisdom  and  good- 
ness, from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this  day,  and 
even  to  the  end  of  time. 

Here  we  find  a  two-fold  covenant;  of  works  which 
threaten  death  to  every  transgressor;  of  grace  which 
grants  pardon  and  redemption  to  every  believer,  and 
promises  all  needful  supplies  to  the  humble  and  sincere. 

Here  we  learn  how  God  created  a  kingdom  among  the 
nations,  or  a  peculiar  congregation,  to  prevent  the  uni- 
versal corruption  of  the  world,  and  like  a  star  in  the 
firmament,  to  diffuse  the  light  of  Divine  kuowlcdge 
throughout  the  darkness  of  the  earth. 

At  length  we  see  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of  God,  the 
Saviour  of  the  world,  appear  to  take  away  sin,  to  bring 
in  everlasting  righteousness,  or  salvation,  to  illustrate  the 
grace  of  God,  and  give  the  plainest  explanation  of  his 
will  and  duty,  to  shew  the  future  world  in  the  clearest 
and  most  awful  view,  and  to  appoint  the  most  powerful 
means  to  attract  our  hearts  to  God,  and  to  guide  our  feet 
into  the  way  of  peace. 

In  the  scriptures  the  design  of  our  present  existence  in 
this  world  is  represented  in  a  manner  agreeable  to  the 
appearance  of  things,  and  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of 
God,  not  to  be  for  enjoyment,  but  for  trial,  not  to  gaiu 
temporal  pleasures  or  possessions,  but  to  discipline  our 
souls,  and  to  prepare  them  for  immortal  glory  and  honor. 
In  particular,  the  many  afflictions  incident  to  our  frailty, 
are  set  in  a  true  and  encouraging  light,  as  the  discipline 
and  correction  of  our  heavenly  father;  not  for  our  de- 
struction, but  for  our  improvement  in  holiness,  to  purify 
our  spirits  from  sensuality,  to  draw  our  regard  to  things 
heavenly  and  eternal,  to  exercise  our  faith,  hope,  patience 
and  every  virtue,  which  is  our  real  excellency,  and  best 
qualification  for  everlasting  happiness. 

In  the  scripture  we  find  the  best  principles  of  holiness, 
or  of  that  state  of  mind,  whereby  we  are  habitually  de- 
voted to  God  and  truth.   For  there  we  are  shewn  the 


286  ON   THE   INTERNAL   WORTH 

nature  and  design  of  living,  in  a  manner  greatly  superior 
to  what  we  could  have  derived  from  our  own  reason  and 
reflection.  There  we  read,  that  we  were  formed  in  the 
image  of  God,  inspired  with  understanding,  raised  great- 
ly in  our  faculties  above  the  rest  of  the  creation,  and 
made  for  ends  proportionally  great  and  noble ;  not  for 
the  meau  purposes  of  time  and  sense,  but  for  God ;  for  his 
honor  and  favor,  to  shew  forth  his  praise,  and  for  ever 
enjoy  his  goodness.  Every  obligation  resulting  from  this 
important  consideration,  even  the  gracious  and  excellent 
purposes  of  our  being,  is  with  the  greatest  propriety  and 
force  urged  upon  us. 

In  most  parts  of  the  holy  scriptures,  the  love  of  God 
smiles  upon  us  with  an  attractive  and  endearing  aspect, 
to  draw  our  affections  to  him,  and  to  give  a  constancy 
and  steadiness  to  our  obedience  in  the  midst  of  so  many, 
and  so  strong  temptations,  when  wre  know  the  necessity 
of  trials,  troubles  and  affliction  of  every  kind,  in  this  vale 
of  tears,  in  order  to  prepare  us  for  a  residence  in  the 
heavenly  mansions,  where  sorrow  shall  be  no  more, 
where  all  tears  shall  be  wiped  from  our  eyes,  and  eudless 
ages  shall  be  spent  in  the  uninterrupted  fruition  of  such 
blessings  as  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither 
hath  it  entered  into  the  heart  of  mau  to  conceive. 

In  the  scripture  we  have  the  Divine  displeasure  against 
all  unrighteousness  and  ungodliness  of  men,  set  upon  its 
true  foundation;  the  odious  and  pernicious  nature  of  sin, 
which  is  in  itself  false  and  mischievous,  the  greatest  evil 
in  the  universe,  and  that  which  alone  can  deprive  us  of 
happiness,  and  subject  us  to  eternal  misery. 

In  the  word  of  God,  his  favor  to  pious  persons  is  also 
set  upon  its  proper  foundation;  the  amiable  and  excellent 
nature  of  true  holiness,  which  in  itself  is  true  and  salutary, 
the  greatest  preparative  for  future  glory,  is  represented  in 
the  most  lively  and  engaging  colors. 

Here  we  are  kindly  encouraged  by  the  Divine  grace, 
to  think  of  our  ways,  and  by  true  repentance,  to  turn 
from  whatever  is  repugnant  to  the  obedience  of  God. 
Here  we  are  directed  frequently  to  examine  our  hearts, 
to  banish  thence  every  corrupt  principle,  and  to  keep  the 
spring  of  action  within  us  pure   from  any  disorderly 


AND    EXCELLENCY    OF    THE    SCRIPTURES.  287 

thought  and  inclination;  to  guard  our  spirits  with  a 
Watchful  eye,  from  every  impure  motion  and  suggestion; 
lo  be  vigilant  against  every  temptation  and  assault  of  the 
grand  enemy  of  souls,  that  we  may  keep  ourselves  unde- 
nted in  the  ways  of  God. 

Here  we  are  instructed  in  the  most  perfect  and  reason- 
able sobriety,  temperance  and  self-denial,  and  warned  of 
the  danger  of  every  sensual  snare  and  allurement.  Here 
this  perishing  body,  with  whatever  can  delight  and 
adorn  it;  here  this  present  world,  with  whatever  in  it 
that  can  engage  our  affections  and  esteem,  are  fully  ex- 
posed to  the  judgment  and  censure  of  reason,  and  mani- 
festly shewn  to  be  emptiness  and  vanity,  infinitely  below 
the  excellence  and  worth  of  immortal  spirits;  and  there- 
fore unfit  to  be  pursued  at  the  expence  of  our  present  in- 
tegrity, or  future  felicity. 

In  the  holy  scriptures  we  arc  taught  the  ordinances  of 
religion,  both  public  and  private,  in  the  conscientious  use 
of  which  we  shall  grow  into  perfect  men  in  Christ  Jesus; 
particularly  we  are  commanded  to  set  apart  a  competent 
portion  of  our  time  every  day,  and  to  keep  the  sabbath, 
holy  every  week ;  that  by  serious  meditation  upon  God's 
word,  and  pouring  out  our  hearts  before  him  in  prayer 
and  thanksgiving,  we  may  renew  our  spiritual  strength; 
be  more  and  more  confirmed  in  the  habits  of  holiness, 
and  find  ourselves  still  advancing  nearer  to  heavenly 
perfection. 

This  sketch  of  the  principles  of  holiness,  to  be  derived 
from  the  scriptures,  clearly  prove  their  Divine  original 
and  excellence,  as  it  sets  them  greatly  above  any  thing 
human  wisdom  can  discover  or  devise. 

In  the  scriptures  we  also  find  the  best  principles  of 
comfort  and  refreshment  to  the  soul.  How  needful  are 
such  principles  in  a  scene  of  afflictions,  sin  and  weak- 
ness! In  general,  under  how  many  amiable  characters, 
under  how  many  sweet  encouragements,  are  we  invited  to 
put  our  trust  in  God ;  to  look  unto  him,  and  make  his 
name,  his  goodness  and  power,  our  refuge  in  every 
want,  danger,  difficulty  and  conilict?  Being  assured  that 
he  careth  for  us  while  we  hope  in  him;  and  that  He  will 
never  leave  us  nor  forsake  us!  We  are  encouraged  to 


288  ON    THE   INTERNAL   WORTH 

hold  out  unto  the  end ;  persuaded,  that  however  He  may 
permit  our  sufferings  and  griefs.  He  will  never  forget  us, 
hut  will  make  all  things,  how  bitter  soever,  work  together 
for  our  good. 

Heaven  is  at  all  times  open  to  our  complaints  and  sup- 
plications; and  the  throne  of  God,  which  is  a  throne  of 
grace,  is  easy  of  access,  to  the  breathings  and  desires  of 
the  penitent  believing  soul. 

Thus  we  see  the  scriptures  contain,  beyond  all  dispute, 
the  best  principles  of  knowledge,  of  holiness  and  comfort. 
It  is  no  less  evident  that  they  deliver  the  best  precepts 
for  directing  all  our  actions,  which  may  be  reduced  to 
three  heads ;  our  duty  to  God,  to  our  neighbor,  and  to 
ourselves. 

We  are  taught  to  worship  God  with  a  sincere  admira- 
tion of  his  glory  and  perfections,  with  profound  reverence 
of  his  greatness,  with  humble  adoration  of  his  sovereignty, 
with  the  highest  love  and  esteem  for  his  excellency  and 
amiableness,  with  joy  and  gratitude  for  his  goodness,  and 
with  a  heart  truly  devoted  to  his  honor  and  glory. 

To  our  neighbor  we  are  directed  to  perform  not  only 
justice,  truth  and  equity,  but  also  unfeigned  charity,  the 
most  extensive  kindness  and  benevolence. 

To  ourselves,  we  owe  self-preservation  and  self-gov- 
ernment; and  the  scriptures  admonish  us  to  take  the 
wisest  care  of  our  being,  by  cultivating  and  guarding  our 
minds,  and  by  mortifying  all  inordinate  affections  and 
passions. 

In  short,  all  that  our  reason  can  find  in  the  law  or  re- 
ligion of  nature,  is  most  clearly  and  beautifully  displayed 
to  us  by  revelation,  and  moreover,  the  wisdom  of  God  has 
not  only  perfected  and  supplied  our  deficiences,  but  hath 
discovered  to  us  the  riches  of  goodness,  knowledge  and 
power,  infinitely  beyond  what  our  natural  faculties  could 
ever  have  attained. 

It  is  further  evident,  that  the  writings  both  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testament  form  a  storehouse  of  the  most  sacred 
and  useful  knowledge,  admirably  adapted  to  the  improve- 
ment of  our  minds  in  faith  and  holiness,  and  calculated, 
by  a  proper  attention  to  them,  to  produce  our  future  and 
eternal  happiness. 


an*i>  r.\<i:i.!.i:xcv  or  nir.  scriptures.         28Q 

Surh  is  (lie  intrinsic  excellency  of  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
and  such  (lie  benefits  that  will  undoubtedly  he  received 
from  them  by  those  who  strictly  adhere  to  the  Divine 
precepts  contained  therein.  The  good  aad  pious  Christian 
will  he  ever  happy  in  the  reflection  of  having  so  valuable 
a  treasure  in  his  hands,  and,  with  the  most  distinguished 
satisfaction  of  mind,  may  thus  address  himself  to  the 
Great  and  beneficent  Author: 

Lord,  I  have  made  thy  word  my  choice, 

.My  Justing'  heritage  ; 
There  shall  my  noblest  powers  rejoice, 

My  warmest  thoughts  engage. 

I'll  read  the  histories  of  thy  love, 

And  keep  thy  laws  in  sight. 
While  through  thy  promises  I  rove. 

With  ever  fresh  delight. 

*Tis  a  broad  land  of  wealth  unknown, 

Where  springs  of  life  arise, 
Seeds  of  immortal  bliss  are  sown, 

And  hidden  glory  lies. 

The  best  relief  that  mourners  have  5 

It  makes  our  sorrows  blest; 
Our  fairest  hope  beyond  the  grave-, 

And  our  eternal  rest. 


CHAP.   V. 

Containing  an  Account  of  the  final  Destruction  of  Jerusalem 
by  Ike  Romans,  as  foretold  by  our  Blessed  Redeemer  a  short 
time  before  his  Death. 

HAYING,  in  the  preceding  chapters,  given  an 
ample  display  of  the  great  excellency  of  the  Sacred 
Writings  contained  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  we 
shall,  in  this  chapter,  give  a  comprehensive  detail  of  the 
dreadful  and  final  destruction  of  the  temple  and  city  of 
vol.  iv.        O  0 


WO  m  accost  er  the 

Jerusalem,  which  was  foretold  by  our  Blessed  Redeemer 
a  short  time  before  his  death. 

At  the  time  our  Lord  predicted  this  fatal  catastrophe 
to  the  Jews,  he  likewise  foretold,  that  it  would  be  pre- 
ceded by  strange  commotions  and  dreadful  signs  from 
heaven,  such  as  had  never  before  been  seen.  Nation 
shall  rise  against  nation,  and  kingdom  against  king- 
dom; and  great  earthquakes  shall  be  in  divers  places,  and 
famines  and  pestilences ;  and  fearful  sights  and  great 
signs  shall  there  be  from  heaven.   Luke  xxi.  10,  11. 

That  this  part  of  the  prediction  was  most  amply  ful- 
filled is  evident  from  the  relation  given  us  by  Josephus, 
the  celebrated  Jewish  historian,  who  not  only  recites  the 
strange  prodigies  which  happened  previous  to  the  break- 
ing out  of  the  war,  but  likewise  gives  us  a  very  particu- 
lar account  of  the  whole  progress  of  it,  from  the  first 
revolting  of  the  Jews  to  the  final  destruction  of  the  city 
and  temple  by  Titus,  son  of  the  emperor  Vespasian. 

The  prodigies,  which  preceded  the  war,  as  related  by 
Josephus,  are  these : 

A  comet,  which  bore  the  resemblance  of  a  sword? 
hung  over  the  city  of  Jerusalem  for  the  space  of  a  whole 
year. 

A  short  time  before  the  revolt  of  the  Jews,  a  most  re- 
markable and  extraordinary  light  was  seen  about  the 
altar  of  the  temple.  It  happened  at  the  ninth  hour  of  the 
night  preceding  the  celebration  of  the  feast  of  the  pass- 
over,  and  continued  about  half  an  hour,  giving  a  light 
equal  to  that  of  day.  Ignorant  persons  considered  this 
unusual  and  wonderful  appearance  as  an  happy  omen; 
but  those  of  superior  judgment  averred  that  it  was  a  pre- 
diction of  approaching  war;  and  their  opinion  was  fully 
confirmed  by  the  event. 

The  eastern  gate  of  the  interior  part  of  the  temple  was 
composed  of  solid  brass,  and  was  of  such  an  immense 
weight,  that  it  was  the  labor  of  twenty  men  to  make  it 
fast  every  night.  It  was  secured  with  iron  bolts  and  bars, 
which  were  let  down  into  a  large  threshold,  consisting  of 
an  entire  stone.  About  the  fifth  hour  of  the  night  this 
gate  opened  without  any  human  assistance,  immediate 
notice  of  which  being  given  to  the  officer  on  duty,  he  lost 


UN  VI.  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.       29l 

uo  time  in  endeavoring  to  restore  it  to  its  former  situation ; 
hut  it  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  that  he  accomplished 
it.  There  were  likewise  some  ignorant  people  who 
deemed  this  to  be  a  second  good  omen,  insinuating  that 
Providence  had  thereby  set  open  a  gate  of  blessings  to  the 
people ;  but  persons  of  superior  discernment  were  of  a 
contrary  opinion,  and  concluded  that  the  opening  of  the 
gate  predicted  the  success  of  the  enemy,  and  destruction 
of  the  city. 

A  short  time  after  the  celebration  of  the  feast  of  the 
passover,  before  the  setting  of  the  sun,  the  appearance  of 
chariots  and  armed  men  were  seen  in  the  air,  in  various 
parts  of  the  country,  passing  round  the  city  among  the 
clouds. 

While  the  priests  were  going  to  perform  the  duties  of 
their  function,  according  to  custom,  in  the  inner  temple, 
on  the  feast  of  Pentecost,  they  at  first  heard  an  indistinct 
murmuring,  which  was  succeeded  by  a  voice,  repeatiug, 
in  the  most  plain  and  earnest  manner,  these  words,  "  Let 
"  us  be  gone,  let  us  depart  hence." 

But  the  most  extraordinary  circumstance  of  the  whole 
was  this.  Some  time  before  the  commencement  of  the 
war,  and  while  the  city  appeared  to  be  in  the  most  perfect 
peace,  and  abounded  in  plenty,  there  came  to  the  feast  of 
tabernacles,  a  simple  countryman,  the  son  of  one  Ananias, 
who,  without  any  previous  intimation,  exclaimed  as 
follows:  "  A  voice  from  the  east;  a  voice  from  the  west; 
"  a  voice  from  the  four  quarters  of  the  world ;  a  voice  to 
u  Jerusalem,  and  a  voice  to  the  temple;  a  voice  to  men 
u  and  women  newly  married,  and  a  voice  to  the  nation  at 
"  large."  Iu  this  manner  did  he  continue  his  exclama- 
tions, in  various  places  through  all  the  streets  of  the  city ; 
at  which  some  persons  of  eminence  in  the  city  were  so 
offended,  that  they  ordered  him  to  be  apprehended,  and 
severely  whipped.  This  was  accordingly  done,  but  he 
bore  his  sufferings  not  only  without  complaint,  but  without 
saying  a  word  in  his  own  defence ;  and  no  sooner  was 
his  punishment  ended,  than  lie  proceeded  in  his  exclama- 
tions as  before.  By  this  time  the  magistrates  were  sus- 
picious (and  indeed,  not  without  reason)  that  what  he  had 
said  proceeded  from  the  Divine  impulse  of  a  superior 


%Q%  AN    ACCOUNT    OF   THE 

power  that  influenced  Lis  words.  In  consequence  of  ting 
they  sent  him  to  the  governor  of  Judea,  who  directed  that 
lie  should  be  whipped  with  the  greatest  severity.  This 
order  was  so  strictly  obeyed,  that  his  very  bones  were 
seen,  notwithstanding  which  he  neither  wept  nor  suppli- 
cated, but,  in  a  voice  of  mourning,  between  each  stroke, 
exclaimed,  "  Woe,  woe  to  Jerusalem  !"  From  this  very 
extraordinary  behavior  the  governor  was  induced  to  in- 
terrogate him  with  respect  to  his  character,  and  the  places 
of  his  birth  and  residence,  and  what  could  prompt  him  to 
act  as  he  had  done.  He  would  not,  however,  make  any 
answer  to  either  of  these  questions;  upon  which  the  gov- 
ernor found  himself  under  the  necessity  of  dismissing  him, 
as  a  man  out  of  his  senses.  From  this  period  to  the  com- 
mencement of  the  war,  he  was  never  known  either  to 
visit  or  speak  to  any  of  the  citizens,  nor  was  he  heard  to 
say  any  other  words  than  the  melancholy  sentence,  "Woe, 
woe  to  Jerusalem."  Those  who  daily  punished  him  re- 
ceived no  ill  language  from  him;  nor  did  those  who  fed 
him  receive  his  thanks;  but  what  he  generally  said  to 
every  one  was,  an  ominous  prediction.  It  was  remarked 
that  on  public  festivals  he  was  more  vociferous  than  at 
other  times;  and  in  the  manner  before-mentioned  he  con- 
tinued for  the  space  of  more  than  three  years;  nor  did 
his  voice  or  strength  appear  to  fail  him  till  his  predic- 
tions were  verified  by  the  siege  of  Jerusalem.  As  soon 
as  this  event  took  place,  he  went  for  the  last  time,  on  the 
wall  of  the  city,  and  exclaimed  with  a  more  powerful 
voice  than  usual,  "  Woe,  woe  to  this  city,  this  temple, 
u  and  this  people ;"  and  concluded  his  lamentation  by 
saying,  "  Woe,  woe,  be  to  myself."  He  had  no  sooner 
spoken  these  words  than,  in  the  midst  of  these  predictions, 
lie  was  destroyed  by  a  stone  thrown  from  an  engine. 

Having  thus  mentioned  the  very  singular  prodigies 
which  preceded  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  as  related 
by  Josephus,  we  shall  now  proceed  to  give  an  account  of 
the  circumstances  which  occasioned  the  war,  together 
with  its  progress,  which  at  length  brought  on  the  final 
ruin  and  destruction  of  the  Jewish  state. 

The  commencement  of  the  war  was  occasioned,  partly 
by  the  infamous  behavior  of  Albinus  the  Koman  goveiv 


FINAL   DESTRUCTION    OF   JERUSALEM.  £89 

uar  of  Judea,  and  partly  by  llic  refractoriness  of  many  of 
the  principal  people  of  Jerusalem.  Albinus  was  a  man 
totally  abandoned  to  every  degree  of  vice.  Avarice,  cor- 
ruption, extortion,  oppression,  public  and  private,  were 
equally  familiar  to  him.  He  accepted  bribes  in  civil  and 
personal  causes,  and  oppressed  the  nation  by  the  weight 
of  arbitrary  taxes.  If  any  offender,  however  atrocious, 
convicted  of  robbery  or  assault  by  himself,  or  any  other 
magistrate,  was  under  sentence  of  the  law,  a  friend  and  a 
bribe  would  ensure  his  liberty:  and  this  governor  neve* 
found  any  man  guilty  who  had  money  to  procure  his  in- 
nocence. 

At  this  time  there  was  a  strong  faction  in  Jerusalem, 
who,  wishing  for  a  change  of  government,  the  most  opu- 
lent of  them  privately  compounded  with  Albinus,  in  case 
any  disturbance  should  happen.  There  was  likewise  a 
set  of  men  who  would  not  be  easy  while  the  state  was  at 
peace ;  and  Albinus,  engaged  these  in  his  interest.  The 
leaders  of  these  mutineers  were  each  attended  by  daring 
fellows  of  their  own  turn  of  mind;  but  the  governor  was 
the  most  abandoned  villain  of  the  whole,  and  had  guards 
always  ready  to  execute  his  orders.  The  event  proved 
that  the  injured  did  not  dare  to  complain;  those  who 
were  iy.  any  danger  of  losing  part  of  their  property  were 
glad  to  compound  to  save  the  rest,  and  the  receiver  proved 
the  worst  of  thieves.  In  short,  there  appeared  to  be  no 
sense  of  honor  remaining;  and  a  new  slavery  seemed  to 
be  predicted  from  the  number  of  tyrants  then  in  power, 
through  the  laud  of  Judea. 

Such  was  the  character,  and  such  were  the  manners  of 
Albinus,  who,  in  a  short  time,  was,  by  order  of  the  em- 
peror Nero,  removed  from  his  office,  and  Gessius  Florus 
placed  in  his  stead.  This,  however,  was  far  from  being 
an  advantageous  change  for  the  Jews,  Florus  being  so 
much  more  abandoned  in  his  principles  than  the  former, 
as  not  to  admit  even  of  the  least  comparison.  Albinus 
was  treacherous,  but  observed  a  secrecy  in  his  crimes  that 
had  the  appearance  of  modesty;  but  Florus  was  so  con- 
summate in  his  wickedness,  that  he  boasted  of  his  iniqui- 
tous behavior,  and  declared  himself  the  general  enemy  of 
the  nation.    His  conduct  in  the  province  lie  governed  was 


394  AN    ACCOUNT    OF   THE 

more  like  that  of  an  executioner  than  a  governor ;  for  lie 
treated  all  the  people  like  criminals,  and  extended  his  ra- 
pine and  tyranny  beyond  all  bounds.  He  was  equally  de- 
void of  compassion,  and  dead  to  all  sense  of  honor ;  cruel 
to  the  unfortunate,  and  utterly  abandoned  in  cases  so  enor- 
mous that  impudence  itself  would  blush  at  the  recollection 
of  them.  He  exceeded  all  the  men  of  his  time  in  making 
lies  and  imposition  pass  for  truth ;  and  was  equally  artful 
in  discovering  new  modes  of  doing  mischief.  He  gave  such 
encouragement  to  the  sons  of  rapine  and  plunder,  that  he 
might  as  well  have  proclaimed  that  every  man  was  at  lib- 
erty to  seize  whatever  he  could  lay  his  hands  on,  pro- 
vided that  he  himself  obtained  a  share  of  the  plunder. 
His  avarice  was  carried  to  such  an  extravagant  pitch, 
that  the  inhabitants  of  the  province  were  reduced  to  de- 
grees of  poverty  little  short  of  starving;  and  many  of  them 
left  the,  country  in  absolute  want  of  the  necessaries  of  life. 

The  daily  oppressions  of  Florus  on  the  people  through- 
out the  province  of  Judea  irritated  them  to  the  most  vio- 
lent degree,  and  being  fearful  lest  they  should  lay  a  com- 
plaint against  him  before  the  emperor,  Florus,  to  avoid 
the  consequences  of  such  a  proceeding,  resolved  to  con- 
tinue his  oppressions  till  they  should  enter  into  open  rebel- 
lion, whereby  his  villainous  proceedings  would  be  great- 
ly lessened  in  the  eyes  of  his  master.  This  had  the  de- 
sired effect,  for  the  factious  party  in  Jerusalem,  who  for 
some  time  had  been  inclined  to  revolt,  encouraging  the 
greater  part  of  the  people  of  that  city  to  oppose  the 
measures  of  Florus,  an  insurrection  took  place,  and  a 
resolution  was  formed  to  oppose  the  Romans  with  all 
their  might. 

It  happened  at  this  time  that  King  Agrippa  was  at  Je- 
rusalem, and  being  fearful  of  the  dreadful  consequences 
that  were  likely  to  ensue,  he  summoned  the  people  to- 
gether, and  strongly  exhorted  them  to  desist  from  any 
violent  proceedings,  telling  them  that  if  they  did,  it  must 
inevitably  prove  their  destruction.  He  advised  them  to  a 
patient  submission  to  Florus,  till  another  governor  should 
be  appointed  by  the  emperor,  who,  in  all  probability, 
would  remove  the  grievances  under  which  they  then  la- 
bored.  But  this,  instead  of  subsiding,  only  innamed  the 


tlXAL    DESTRUCTION    OF   JERUSALEM.  SQfl 

pasaioifs  of  the  multitude,  who  not  only  made  use  of  tlic. 
Biosi  opprobrious  language,  but  likewise  mal-treatcd  the 
king,  lu  consequence  of  this  Agrippa  left  Jerusalem,  pre- 
vious  to  which  he  dispatched  messengers  to  Florus,  who 
was  (lion  at  Cesarea,  informing  him  of  the  manner  in 
which  lie  had  been  treated,  and  requesting  that  he  would 
immediately  send  a  proper  force  to  repel  the  insurgents. 

No  sooner  had  Agrippa  left  Jerusalem  than  the  factious 
Jews  began  to  carry  their  design  into  execution.  To  this 
purpose  great  numbers  of  them  got  privately  into  the  Ro- 
man garrison  called  Massada,  where  they  surprized  the 
soldiers,  every  one  of  whom  they  put  to  death,  and,  in 
their  stead,  substituted  a  guard  of  their  own  people. 

About  this  juncture  there  happened  likewise  another 
commotion  in  the  temple  of  Jerusalem.  A  bold  and 
factious  young  man,  named  Eleazar  (son  of  the  then  high- 
priest)  who  was  at  that  time  a  military  officer,  persuaded 
a  number  of  his  friends  among  the  priests  hot  to  accept  of 
any  offering  or  sacrifice  but  from  the  Jews.  This  circum- 
stance laid  the  foundation  of  a  war  with  the  Romans;  for, 
in  consequence  of  the  request  of  Eleazar,  when  the  sacri- 
fices of  Nero  were  presented,  according  to  custom,  to  be 
offered  up  for  the  success  of  the  people  of  Rome,  they 
were  rejected.  So  new  and  extraordinary  a  proceeding 
gave  great  offence  to  the  high-priest  and  persons  of  dis- 
tinction, who  protested  against  it,  and  earnestly  recom- 
mended the  continuance  of  so  reasonable  a  custom  as  that 
of  offering  prayers  for  princes  and  governors.  But  the 
insurgents,  relying  on  the  strength  of  their  numbers,  were 
obstinate  for  obedience  to  their  orders;  every  one  who 
wished  for  innovation  Mas  on  their  side,  and  they  con- 
sidered Eleazar,  who  was  a  man  of  courage,  and  in  office, 
as  the  head  of  their  party. 

In  consequence  of  the  great  obstinacy  of  the  insurgents, 
the  high-priest  and  most  eminent  of  the  Pharisees  assem- 
bled together  in  order  to  deliberate  on  the  most  proper 
mode  of  proceeding  at  so  critical  a  juncture,  being  appre- 
heusive  that  if  the  tumult  was  not,  by  some  means  or  other, 
suppressed,  it  must  be  attended  with  the  most  fatal  con- 
sequences. Having  consulted  for  some  time,  they  at 
length  resolved  to  try  what  could  be  done  to  appease  the 


&96  AN    ACCOUNT    OF   THE 

passions  of  the  multitude;  and  for  this  purpose  they  as- 
sembled the  people  before  the  brazen  gate,  on  the  inside 
of  the  temple  towards  the  east.  Here  they  represented  to 
them  the  rashness  of  the  enterprize  in  which  they  had  en- 
gaged, and  which  would  certainly  involve  their  country 
in  a  ruinous  war.  They  then  adverted  to  the  unreason- 
able ground  of  the  dispute,  and  the  evident  injustice  on 
which  it  was  founded;  they  told  them  that  their  ancestors 
were  so  far  from  refusing  or  forbidding  the  oblations  of 
strangers  (which  they  would  have  deemed  a  kind  of  im- 
piety) that  they  considered  them,  in  some  degree,  as  a  part 
of  their  own  worship.  They  likewise  mentioned  the  pre- 
sents which  had,  from  time  to  time,  been  made  by  strangers 
to  the  temple,  which  were  still  preserved  as  ornaments  in 
that  sacred  place,  and  in  remembrance  of  those  who  gave 
them.  They  farther  told  them,  that  the  provoking  a  war 
with  the  Romans  would  be  at  least  disgraceful,  if  not  ru- 
inous, to  Jerusalem;  that  new  modes  of  religion  would 
certainly  be  adopted,  as  nothing  less  could  be  .expected  by 
the  interdiction  of  every  sort  of  people,  except  Jews,  from 
offering  oblations  and  prayers  to  God  in  his  holy  temple. 
It  was  urged  that  this  was  such  an  inhuman  injunction  as 
could  not  be  excused  in  the  case  of  a  private  person ;  but 
that  it  was  utterly  unpardonable  to  extend  it  to  the  whole 
people  of  Rome,  and,  eventually,  even  excommunicating 
the  emperor  himself.  It  was  asked  what  would  be  the 
consequence  if  such  contempt  should  be  returned,  and 
those  who  had  refused  others  the  liberty  of  offering  their 
prayers  and  oblations,  should  themselves  be  denied  the 
privilege  of  public  worship?  They  concluded  with  telling 
them,  that  if  they  persisted  in  their  obstinacy,  the  city 
would  be  left  void  of  discipline ;  and  every  ill  consequence 
would  certainly  happen,  unless  they  repented  of  all  the 
uncharitable  things  they  had  done,  and  made  satisfaction, 
before  the  emperor  should  be  informed  of  their  violent 
proceedings. 

But  all  these  circumstances  were  of  none  effect;  the  in- 
surgents, who  wished  for  war  rather  than  peace,  were  de- 
termined to  prosecute  their  design  with  the  utmost  vigor: 
and  in  this  they  were  farther  encouraged  from  the  conduct 


FINAL    DESTRUCTION    OB   JERUSALEM.  29? 

of  the  Levites,  who  quitted  the  altar,  and  joined  them- 
selves to  their  party. 

The  high-priest,  and  people  of  rank,  finding  the  popu- 
lace despised  all  obedience  to  law,  and  that  themselves 
would  probably  be  the  first  that  would  be  censured  by  the 
Romans,  consulted  together  what  means  were  the  most 
eligible  to  take  in  order  to  save  themselves  and  country 
from  destruction.  After  deliberating  for  some  time  on  this 
head,  they  at  length  resolved  to  send  deputies  to  Floras 
and  Agrippa,  representing  the  conduct  of  the  people  in  its 
true  light,  and  requesting  them  to  seud  forces  to  Jerusa- 
lem, in  order  to  put  a  speedy  end  to  the  rebellion. 

The  news  of  the  insurrection  at  Jerusalem  was  highly 
agreeable  to  Floras,  whose  disposition  led  him  to  inflame, 
rather  than  endeavor  to  suppress  the  war.  This  was 
evidently  evinced  by  his  delay  in  giving  an  answer  to  the 
deputies,  knowing  thereby  that  it  would  afford  the  rebels 
an  opportunity  of  augmenting  their  forces.  On  the  con- 
trary, Agrippa  consulted  only  the  general  welfare,  being 
desirous  of  doing  all  in  his  power  to  save  both  parties ; 
and  by  this  means  to  secure  Jerusalem  in  the  possession 
of  the  Jews,  and  bind  the  Jews  in  subjection  to  the  Ro- 
mans. To  effect  this  he  dispatched  two  thousand  auxilia- 
ry horse  to  Jerusalem,  under  the  command  of  Darius,  a 
very  able  and  experienced  general.  On  their  arrival  at 
the  city  they  were  joined  by  the  rulers  and  high-priest,  to- 
gether with  the  rest  of  the  people  who  wished  for  peace. 
The  insurgents  had  already  possessed  themselves  of  the 
temple  and  lower  city ;  and  therefore  the  royal  troops  im- 
mediately seized  on  the  upper  city,  being  resolved,  if  pos- 
sible, to  reduce  the  rebels  to  subjection.  It  was  not  long 
before  a  skirmish  took  place,  and  the  combatants  on  both 
sides  made  use  of  their  bows  aud  arrows,  with  which  they 
galled  each  other  incessantly.  The  insurgents  made  their 
attacks  in  the  most  desperate  manner;  but  the  royal  forces 
appeared  to  have  a  superior  knowledge  of  the  military  art. 
The  principal  operation  the  latter  had  in  view  was  to 
compel  the  sacrilegious  faction  to  abandon  the  temple ; 
while,  on  the  contrary,  Eleazar  and  his  adherents  labored 
with  equal  zeal,  to  get  the  upper  town  into  their  posses- 
sion.   The  contest  continued   without  intermission  for 

vol.  iv.        P  p 


298  AN   ACCOUNT    OF   THE 

some  days,  in  all  which  time,  though  there  was  a  great 
slaughter  on  both  sides,  not  the  least  advantage  was  ob- 
tained by  either. 

At  length,  however,  the  insurgents,  being  resolved  to 
engage  in  the  most  hazardous  enterprize,  assaulted  the 
king's  troops  with  such  violence  as  to  throw  them  into 
the  greatest  confusion  and  disorder;  and  this  advantage 
they  improved  to  such  a  degree,  that,  equally  overcome 
by  superior  numbers  and  more  determined  resolution,  the 
royal  troops  were  obliged  to  abandon  the  upper  town,  of 
which  the  rebels  immediately  possessed  themselves,  and 
thereby  became  masters  of  the  whole  city. 

Elated  with  this  success,  the  insurgents  immediately 
repaired  to  the  house  of  the  high-priest,  which  they  first 
plundered,  and  then  reduced  to  ashes.  This  being  done, 
they  resolved,  in  the  next  place,  to  set  fire  to  the  offices 
of  record,  and  consume  both  them  and  all  their  contents. 
As  soon  as  this  was  known,  the  persons  who  had  the 
care  of  those  places  were  so  terrified,  that  they  imme- 
diately abandoned  their  trust,  each  man  seeking  his  own 
security  by  flight ;  on  which  both  offices  and  records  were 
reduced  to  ashes. 

The  next  day  after  the  insurgents  had  committed  these 
outrages,  they  made  an  attack  on  the  castle  of  Antonia, 
and,  after  only  two  days  resistance,  made  themselves 
masters  of  it,  having  done  which,  they  burnt  the  castle, 
and  put  all  the  garrison  to  the  sword.  After  this  they 
proceeded  to  the  palace,  in  which  were  the  troops  sent  by 
Agrippa  to  suppress  the  insurrection :  they  immediately 
invested  the  place,  and  having  divided  themselves  into 
four  bodies,  made  an  attempt  to  undermine  the  walls; 
while  those  within  were  under  the  necessity  of  remaining 
inactive,  as  their  strength  was  insufficient  for  them  to 
sally  forth  with  any  hopes  of  success.  The  assailants 
continued  their  operations  with  great  resolution  for  sever- 
al days,  till  at  length  the  besieged,  finding  they  must 
either  fall  by  the  sword,  or  be  starved  into  compliance, 
deserted  the  place,  and  fled  for  security  to  the  castles  of 
Hippon,  Phasael  and  Mariamue.  But  no  sooner  had  the 
soldiers  quitted  the  place,  than  the  rebels  immediately 
broke  in,  and  unmercifully  put  to  death  every  person 


FINAL    DESTRUCTION    OF   JERUSALEM.  S9i> 

they  met  with;  having  done  which,  they  plunderer!  the 

palace  of  all  its  valuable  furniture,  and  concluded  the 
outrage  by  setting  fire  to  the  camp. 

While  these  things  were  transacting  at  Jerusalem,  a 
most  dreadful  massacre  took  place  in  Cesarea,  not  less 
than  20,000  Jews  being,  at  the  instigation  of  Florus,  put 
to  death  by  the  Romans  in  one  day.  This  horrid  slaugh- 
ter so  irritated  the  Jews,  that  they  became  universally 
outrageous,  and  dividing  themselves  into  distinct  bodies, 
dispersed  into  different  parts,  with  a  full  resolution  of 
seeking  revenge  on  their  enemies.  They  first  laid  waste 
:i  great  number  of  villages  in  Syria,  and  then  destroyed 
several  principal  cities,  among  which  were  Philadelphia, 
Gibonitis,  Garasea,  Pella,  and  Scythopolis.  They  then 
proceeded  to  Sebaste  and  Askalon,  both  of  which  places 
surrendered  without  opposition.  Having  effectually  re- 
duced these  two  fortresses,  they  next  proceeded  to  Gaza, 
which  they  totally  destroyed;  and  continuing  their  rava- 
ges, laid  waste  a  great  number  of  villages  on  the  frontiers 
of  Syria,  putting  to  death  all  the  inhabitants  wherever 
they  went. 

On  the  other  hand  the  Syrians  wreaked  their  ven» 
geance  on  all  the  Jews  they  could  find,  not  only  in  coun- 
try places,  but  in  many  principal  cities  throughout  Syria, 
all  of  whom  they  put  to  the  sword.  In  short,  the  whole 
country  was  in  the  most  deplorable  situation,  there  being, 
as  it  were,  two  armies  in  every  city;  nor  Was  any  safety 
to  be  expected  for  the  one,  but  in  the  destruction  of  the 
other.  In  the  city  of  Alexandria  no  less  than  50,000 
Jews  were  put  to  death  by  the  Romans ;  and  the  only 
places  in  which  the  Jews  escaped  the  general  carnage 
were  Sidon,  Apamia  and  Antioch. 

Cestius,  the  governor  of  Syria  (who  at  this  time  re- 
sided at  Antioch)  observing  the  contempt  in  which  the 
Jews  were  held  throughout  the  whole  province,  resolved 
to  take  advantage  of  this  circumstance,  and  prosecute  the 
war  against  them  with  the  utmost  vigor.  For  this  pur- 
pose he  raised  a  considerable  army,  consisting  of  the 
whole  twelfth  legion  which  he  commanded  at  Antioch; 
two  thousand  select  men  from  the  other  legions,  and  four 
divisions  of  horse,  exclusive  of  the  royal  auxiliaries, 


300  AN   ACCOUNT    OF   THE 

which  consisted  of  two  thousand  horse  and  three  thousand 
foot,  aU  armed  with  bows  and  arrows. 

With  this  formidable  army  Cestius  left  Antioch,  and 
proceeded  towards  Ptolemais,  in  his  way  to  which  he 
was  joined  by  a  great  number  of  people  from  different 
parts  of  the  country.  The  first  material  place  he  came  to 
was  Zabulon,  (otherwise  called  Andron)  the  most  defen- 
sible city  of  Galilee,  and  by  which  Judea  was  divided 
from  Ptolemais.  On  his  arrival  at  this  place  he  found 
that  it  was  amply  stored  with  all  kinds  of  provisions,  but 
not  a  single  person  was  to  be  seen  in  the  town,  the  in- 
habitants having,  on  his  approach,  lied  to  the  mountains 
for  security.  In  consequence  of  this  Cestius  gave  his 
soldiers  permission  to  plunder  the  city ;  which  being 
done,  he  ordered  it  to  be  burnt,  and  levelled  with  the 
ground.  He  then  proceeded  to  several  other  places  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Zabulon,  all  of  which  he  served  in 
like  manner,  and  then  repaired  to  Ptolemais.  On  this 
occasion  the  Syrians  were  so  anxious  for  obtaining  of 
plunder,  that  they  could  not  be  prevailed  on  to  retire  in 
time ;  but  many  of  them  remained  behind,  and  on  the  re- 
treat of  Cestius  with  the  greater  part  of  his  forces,  the 
Jews,  taking  courage,  fell  on  the  plunderers,  and  near 
two  thousand  of  them  were  put  to  the  sword. 

After  staying  a  short  time  at  Ptolemais,  Cestius  pro- 
ceeded to  Cesarea,  from  whence  he  dispatched  a  division 
of  his  army  to  Joppa,  with  orders  that  if  they  could  get 
an  easy  possession  of  the  place,  they  should  take  it;  but 
if  they  found  that  the  inhabitants  made  preparations  to 
defend  it,  they  should,  in  that  case,  wait  till  the  arrival 
of  the  rest  of  the  army.  The  Romans,  however,  no  soon- 
er arrived  at  the  place  than  they  immediately  laid  siege 
to  it,  and,  with  very  little  difficulty,  even  made  them- 
selves masters  of  it.  The  inhabitants  were  so  far  from 
being  able  to  resist  the  attack,  that  they  had  not  even  an 
opportunity  of  making  their  escape ;  so  that  the  whole, 
both  men,  women  and  children,  were  put  to  the  sword, 
the  number  amounting  to  not  less  than  eight  thousand. 
The  Romans  then  plundered  the  city,  and  having  reduced 
it  to  ashes,  they  returned  to  their  general  at  Cesarea.  In 
the  mean  time  a  body  of  Roman  horse  made  similar  de» 


FINAL    DESTRUCTION    OF   JERUSALEM.  3U1 

6 traction  in  the  neighborhood  of  Cesarca,  Where  they 
ravaged  the  country,  killed  great  numbers  of  the  inhabit- 
ants, took  possession  of  their  effects,  and  then  burnt  their 
tewns  to  the  ground. 

From  Cesarea  Cestius  departed  with  his  army  to  An- 
tipatris,  on  his  arrival  at  which  place  he  was  informed 
that  a  great  number  of  Jews  had  got  into  the  tower  of 
Aphcc,  whither  lie  sent  a  number  of  his  troops  to  rout 
them.  The  Jews,  finding  themselves  totally  unable  to 
sustain  the  shock,'  abandoned  the  place  to  the  Romans, 
who  first  stript  it  of  every  thing  that  was  valuable,  and 
then  set  fire  to  it;  having  done  which  they  departed,  but 
not  without  destroying  several  villages  in  its  neighbor- 
hood, and  putting  such  of  the  inhabitants  as  could  not 
effect  their  escape  to  the  sword. 

Cestius  proceeded  with  his  army  from  Antipatris  to 
Lydda,  in  which  city  he  found  no  more  than  fifty  men, 
all  the  rest  being  gone  to  Jerusalem,  in  order  to  be  present 
at  the  celebration  of  the  feast  of  tabernacles.  The  re- 
maining fifty  Cestius  ordered  to  be  put  to  death,  which 
being  done,  he  set  fire  to  the  town,  and  then  proceeded 
by  the  way  of  Betlioron,  to  a  place  named  Grabaoh,  about 
fifty  furlongs  from  Jerusalem,  where  he  encamped  his 
army. 

The  Jews,  convinced  of  the  great  danger  they  were  in, 
from  the  appearance  of  so  formidable  an  army,  laid  aside 
their  former  scruples  with  regard  to  their  sacred  days, 
and  applied  themselves  strictly  to  their  arms.  Imagining 
that  their  force  was  now  sufficient  to  cope  with  the  Ro- 
mans, they  made  a  desperate  sally  on  the  sabbath-day, 
regardless  of  their  ancient  prejudices,  and,  with  a  furious 
uproar,  attacked  the  enemy.  On  the  first  charge  they  put 
the  front  of  the  Romans  into  great  disorder,  and  pene- 
trated so  far  into  the  main  body  of  the  army,  that  had  it 
not  been  for  a  detachment  of  foot  which  remained  entire- 
ly unbroken,  and  a  party  of  horse  that  unexpectedly  came 
to  their  relief,  Cestius  and  his  whole  army  would  have 
been  certainly  cut  to  pieces.  In  this  encounter  four  hun- 
dred of  the  Roman  cavalry  were  slain,  and  one  hundred 
and  fifteen  of  the  infantry ;  while  of  the  Jews  there  fell  a 
very  small  number.   The  main  body  of  the  Jews,  retreat- 


303  AN    ACCOUNT   OF   THE 

ing  in  good  order,  went  back  into  the  city;  and  in  the 
mean  time  the  Romans  retired  towards  Bethoron.  A 
strong  party  of  the  Jews,  however,  under  the  command 
of  one  Gioras,  pursued  the  enemy,  several  of  whom  they 
killed :  they  likewise  seized  a  number  of  carriages,  and  a 
quantity  of  baggage,  which  they  found  in  the  pursuit,  all 
of  which  they  conveyed  safe  to  Jerusalem. 

Cestius  and  his  army  remained  in  the  field  three  days 
after  this  action,  during  which  time  a  party  of  the  Jews 
was  stationed  on  the  adjacent  hills  to  watch  his  move- 
ments. On  the  fourth  day  Cestius  advanced  with  his 
whole  army,  in  a  regular  manner,  to  the  borders  of  Je- 
rusalem, where  many  of  the  people  were  so  terrified  by 
the  faction,  that  they  were  afraid  to  take  any  step  of  con- 
sequence ;  while  some  of  the  principal  promoters  of  the 
sedition  were  so  alarmed  at  the  conduct  and  discipline  of 
the  Romans  on  their  march,  that  they  retired  from  the 
extremities  of  the  city,  and  took  refuge  in  the  temple. 
Cestius  in  his  way  to  Jerusalem  burnt  Cenopolis,  and  a 
place  which  was  denominated  the  wood -market.  From 
thence  he  advanced  to  the  upper  town  of  the  city,  and 
pitched  his  camp  at  a  small  distance  from  the  palace. 

While  Cestius  was  thus  situated  with  his  army,  Ana- 
nus,  and  several  other  men  among  the  Jews,  called  aloud 
to  the  Roman  general,  offering  to  open  the  gates  to  him ; 
but  either  through  diffidence  or  fear  of  their  fidelity,  he 
was  so  long  in  considering  whether  or  not  he  should  ac- 
cept the  offer,  that  he  was  at  length  restrained  from  it  by 
the  people,  who  were  so  irritated  at  Ananus  and  his  com- 
panions, that  they  compelled  them  to  retreat  from  the 
walls  of  the  city,  and  retire  to  their  own  houses  for  pro- 
tection. 

After  this  the  Jews,  with  a  view  of  defending  the  walls 
of  the  city,  repaired  to  the  different  turrets,  and,  for  five 
successive  days,  defended  them  against  all  the  efforts  of 
the  Romans,  though  they  pushed  the  attack  with  the  ut- 
most impetuosity.  On  the  sixth  day  Cestius  made  an  as- 
sault on  the  north  side  of  the  temple,  with  a  select  force 
chosen  from  his  troops  and  bowmen ;  but  the  Jews  dis- 
charged such  a  violent  quantity  of  shot  and  stones  from 
the  porch  and  galleries,  that  the  Romans  were  not  only 


FINAL  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.      -^03 

repeatedly  compelled  to  retire  from  the  severity  of  the 
charge,  but,  for  a  time,  obliged  to  abandon  the  enterprize. 

Being  thus  repulsed,  the  Romans,  after  some  time,  had 
recourse  to  the  following  singular  invention.  Those  in 
front  placing  their  bucklers  against  the  wall  of  the  city, 
and  covering  their  heads  and  shoulders  with  them,  those 
who  stood  next  closed  their  bucklers  to  the  former,  till 
the  whole  body  was  covered,  and  made  the  appearance  of 
a  tortoise.  The  bucklers  being  thus  conjoined  were  proof 
against  all  the  darts  and  arrows  of  the  enemy;  so  that  the 
Romaus  had  the  opportunity  of  undermining  the  walls 
without  being  exposed  to  danger.  The  first  thing  they 
did  was,  to  attempt  setting  fire  to  the  gates  of  the  temple, 
which  circumstance  so  terrified  the  faction,  that  they  con- 
sidered themselves  as  ruined,  and  many  absolutely  aban- 
doned the  town;  nor  were  the  quiet  party  less  elevated 
with  joy  than  the  rebels  were  depressed  by  despair. 

While  things  were  in  this  situation,  the  people  de- 
manded that  the  gates  might  be  opened  to  Cestius,  whom 
they  considered  in  the  light  of  a  friend  and  preserver. 
This  was  a  most  favorable  opportunity  for  Cestius,  and 
had  he  maintained  the  siege  only  a  short  time  longer,  the 
whole  town  must  have  submitted.  But,  not  considering 
the  good  disposition  of  the  people  in  general,  or  reflecting 
on  the  despair  into  which  the  rebels  were  thrown,  as  if 
he  had  been  infatuated,  he  suddenly  drew  off  his  men, 
and,  contrary  to  all  sense  and  reason,  abandoned  the 
siege,  at  a  time  when  his  prospects  were  better  than  they 
had  been  at  any  former  period.  The  revolters  were  so 
much  encouraged  at  this  unexpected  circumstance,  that 
they  attacked  the  rear  of  Cestius's  army,  and  destroyed 
great  numbers  both  of  his  cavalry  and  infantry.  On  the 
first  night  after  Cestius  retreated  from  the  siege,  he  took 
up  his  residence  in  a  camp  which  he  had  fortified  at  a 
place  named  Scopus ;  and  on  the  following  day  he  con- 
tinued his  march,  but  was  closely  pursued  by  the  Jews, 
who  annoyed  him  as  he  went,  and  destroyed  a  considera- 
ble number  of  his  troops.  On  the  whole,  this  was  a  very 
disastrous  attack  to  the  Romans,  and  attended  with  very 
little  loss  on  the  part  of  the  Jews. 


30%  AN   ACCOUNT-  OB   THE 

Cestius,  having  retreated  as  far  as  Gabaoh,  there  en- 
camped with  his  army,  and,  during  two  days,  employed 
his  thoughts  in  what  manner  he  should  direct  his  future 
conduct.  On  the  third  day  he  found  that  the  Jews  were 
so  greatly  increased  in  numbers,  that  the  whole  face  of 
the  country  was  covered  with  them ;  and  that  should  he 
continue  any  longer  at  Gabaoh,  it  must  be  attended  with 
the  most  fatal  consequences.  He  therefore  issued  orders 
that  the  army  should  be  eased  of  all  their  incumbrances, 
that  they  might  march  with  the  greater  expedition ;  he 
likewise  directed  that  all  the  mules,  asses,  and  other 
beasts  of  burden  should  be  killed,  except  only  as  many 
as  were  necessary  to  carry  such  weapons  and  machines  as 
might  afterwards  be  wanted  for  their  own  defence. 

In  this  situation  the  Roman  army  proceeded  towards 
Bethoron,  Cestius  marching  at  their  head.  While  they 
continued  in  the  open  country,  they  did  not  receive  any 
interruption  from  the  Jews;  but  as  they  advanced  into 
hollow  ways  and  defiles,  the  enemy,  who  closely  pursued, 
charged  them  in  front  and  rear,  and  discharging  repeated 
vollies  of  arrows  and  darts,  prodigious  numbers  of  them 
were  killed.  The  Romans,  however,  with  great  difficulty, 
got  at  length  to  Bethoron  under  cover  of  the  night;  upon 
which  all  the  passes  near  that  place  were  secured  by  the, 
Jews,  in  order  to  prevent  the  retreat  of  their  adversaries. 

Cestius,  finding  in  what  a  disagreeable  manner  he  was 
surrounded,  and  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  retreat 
within  sight  of  the  enemy,  devised  a  scheme  to  favor  his 
escape.  Having  stationed  four  hundred  of  his  troops  on 
the  tops  of  the  houses,  he  ordered  that  they  should  act 
the  part  of  centinels,  calling  as  loud  as  they  were  able  to 
the  watches  and  guards,  as  if  the  army  was  still  in  its 
encampment.  While  this  plan  was  going  forward, 
Cestius  collected  his  troops  with  which  he  left  Betho- 
ron, and  continued  to  march  with  them  during  the 
whole  course  of  the  night.  In  the  morning,  when  the 
Jews  found  that  the  place  had  been  deserted  by  the  main 
body  of  the  army  during  the  night,  they  were  so  enraged, 
that  they  immediately  attacked  the  four  hundred  Romans 
who  had  acted  as  centinels,  slew  every  one  of  them,  and 
then  instantly  marched  in  pursuit  of  Cestius;  but  his 


FINAL   DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  305 

troops  having  obtained  a  whole  night's  march  on  them, 
and  proceeded  with  the  utmost  rapidity  on  the  following 
day,  it  was  not  possible  to  overtake  them.  Such  were 
the  hurry  and  confusion  in  which  the  Romans  had  fled, 
th.it  they  dropped  by  the  way  all  their  slings,  machines, 
and  other  instruments  for  battery  and  attack ;  which  being 
seized  by  the  pursuers,  they  afterwards  turned  them  to 
their  own  advantage.  The  Jews  pursued  their  enemies 
as  far  as  Antipatris;  but  finding  it  in  vain  to  continue  the 
pursuit,  they  carefully  preserved  the  engines,  stripped 
the  dead,  collected  all  the  booty  they  could,  and  then  re- 
turned towards  Jerusalem,  singing  songs  of  triumph  for 
so  important  a  victory.  In  this  contest  there  fell,  of  the 
Romans  and  their  auxiliaries,  three  hundred  and  eighty 
cavalry,  and  not  less  than  four  thousand  of  the  infantry. 

Elated  with  this  distinguished  success,  the  Jews,  on 
their  return  to  Jerusalem,  appointed  one  Joseph,  the  son 
of  Gorion,  a  man  of  great  eminence,  together  with  the 
high-priest,  as  governors  of  the  city.  They  likewise  sent 
commanders  into  the  different  provinces  of  Judea  and 
Galilee,  in  order  to  secure  those  places  against  the  power 
of  the  Romans.  Among  others  Joseph,  or  Josephus, 
(the  celebrated  Jewish  historian)  was  sent  to  take  upon 
him  the  government  of  Galilee,  the  principal  towns  in 
which  he  immediately  ordered  to  be  fortified,  and  every 
necessary  preparation  made  for  attacking  the  enemy, 
should  they  attempt  to  invade  that  province. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  emperor  Nero,  having  received 
intelligence  of  the  defeat  of  Cestius  in  Judea,  was  thrown 
into  the  utmost  consternation ;  but  he  dissembled  his  fears, 
by  ostentatiously  asserting  that  it  was  owing  to  the  mis- 
conduct of  his  general,  and  not  to  their  own  valor,  that 
the  Jews  were  indebted  for  victory;  for  he  imagined  that 
it  would  be  derogatory  to  the  sovereign  state  of  the 
Roman  empire,  and  to  his  superiority  over  other  princes, 
to  discover  a  concern  at  the  common  occurrences  of  life. 
During  this  contention  between  his  fear  and  his  pride,  he 
industriously  sought  for  a  man  qualified  to  assume  the 
important  task  of  chastising  the  revolted  Je»vs,  preserving 
the  east  in  tranquility,  and  the  allegiance  of  several  other 
nations  who  had  manifested  a  disposition  to  free  them- 

voi.  iy.         Q  q, 


306  AN    ACCOUNT    OF   THE 

selves  from  the  power  of  the  Romans.  On  mature  delib- 
eration, Nero  at  length  judged  Vespasian  to  be  the  only 
man  possessed  of  abilities  adequate  to  the  important 
enterprize.  Vespasian  was  then  arrived  to  an  advanced 
age,  and,  from  his  early  years,  had  been  engaged  in  a 
continued  succession  of  military  exploits.  From  these 
considerations,  together  with  his  approved  courage  and 
fidelity,  and  his  having  sons  for  hostages  of  his  loyalty, 
the  emperor  determined  to  appoint  him  to  the  command 
of  his  army  in  Syria. 

In  consequence  of  this  resolution,  Vespasian,  having 
received  his  commission  from  Nero,  which  he  accom- 
panied with  the  strongest  professions  of  friendship  and 
fidelity,  commanded  his  son  Titus  to  lead  the  fifth  and 
tenth  legions  into  Alexandria,  while  himself  departed 
from  Achaia,  and,  crossing  the  Hellespont,  proceeded  by 
land  into  Syria,  where  he  assembled  all  the  Roman 
forces,  and  the  auxiliaries  which  the  princes  of  the  ad- 
joining places  had  gathered  together. 

In  the  mean  time  the  Jews,  being  transported  to  the 
most  excessive  degree  of  extravagance  by  the  conquest 
they  had  gained  over  the  Roman  army  under  the  com- 
mand of  Cestius,  determined  to  prosecute  the  war  with 
the  utmost  vigor.  Accordingly  they  formed  their  best 
troops  into  a  body,  and  marched  against  the  ancient  city  of 
Ascalon,  with  a  resolution  of  attempting  the  reduction  of 
that  place,  against  the  inhabitants  of  which  they  had  the 
most  implacable  enmity.  The  Jewish  army  was  under 
the  command  of  Niger,  of  Perea,  Silas,  a  Babylonian, 
and  John,  an  Essene,  who  were  men  equally  celebrated 
for  valor  and  skill  in  the  management  of  war. 

Ascalon  was  surrounded  by  a  wall  of  surprizing 
strength;  but  the  whole  garrison  consisted  only  of  a  troop 
of  cavalry  and  a  company  of  foot,  under  the  command  of 
an  officer  named  Anthony.  The  Jews,  being  impatient  to 
encounter  the  Romans,  marched  with  the  utmost  expedi- 
tion, intending  to  attack  them  by  surprize;  but  Anthony 
getting  intelligence  of  their  design,  stationed  his  cavalry 
without  the  town,  in  order  to  repulse  the  enemy.  The 
Roman  forces  were  composed  of  veteran  troops,  complete- 
ly armed,  well  disciplined,  and  perfectly  obedient  to  order. 


FINAL  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.      307 

The  .Tows  had  the  superiority  in  point  of  numbers :  but 
they  were  indifferently  equipped  tor,  and  by  no  means 

expert  in  the  art  of  war,  and  the  army  consisted  entirely 
of  infantry.  Anthony's  troops  received  the  first  charge 
with  great  resolution:  his  horse  broke  the  first  ranks  of 
the  adverse  army,  which  were  immediately  put  to  the 
rout:  great  numbers  were  crushed  to  death  by  their  own 
people,  aud  wherever  they  fled  they  were  pursued  by  the 
Romans.  The  Jews  exerted  their  utmost  endeavors  to 
rally  their  forces ;  but  this  was  prevented  by  the  llomans, 
who  pursued  the  advantage  they  had  gained  till  ttn  thou- 
sand of  the  enemy  were  slain,  among  whom  were  the  two 
generals,  John  and  Silas.  Niger,  the  surviving  general, 
with  the  rest  of  the  Jews,  most  of  whom  were  wounded, 
escaped  to  a  town  in  Idumea,  named  Sabis. 

The  resolution  of  the  Jews,  however,  was  not  abated 
by  the  terrible  defeat  they  had  sustained ;  but,  founding 
their  hopes  of  success  on  the  recollection  of  former  vic- 
tories, they  were  animated  to  a  more  violent  desire  of 
revenge.  They  therefore  collected  together  a  much  more 
numerous  army  than  before,  and  determined  to  make  a 
second  attempt  against  Ascalon,  notwithstanding  their 
want  of  military  skill  and  discipline,  the  fatal  effects  of 
which  they  had  already  experienced.  But  all  their  hopes 
were  soon  vanished ;  for  being  surprized  by  an  ambush 
which  Anthony  had  stationed  in  the  way  they  were  to 
pass,  they  were  entirely  routed,  without  being  able  to 
form  themselves  into  the  order  of  battle.  Eight  thousand 
Jews  were  slain  on  the  spot;  and  the  rest,  with  Niger 
their  general,  put  to  flight.  Being  closely  pursued  by  the 
Romans,  Niger  sought  refuge  in  a  castle  belonging  to 
the  village  of  Bezedel.  This  castle  was  supposed  to  be 
impregnable ;  and  therefore  as  the  only  effectual  means 
of  destroying  both  Niger  and  the  castle,  the  Romans  set 
fire  to  it,  after  which  they  departed,  triumphing  in  the 
idea  that  the  leader  of  the  Jews  must  inevitably  perish  in 
the  flames.  Niger,  being  sensible  that  this  must  be  the 
case,  if  he  continued  in  his  station,  threw  himself  from  the 
top  of  the  castle  into  a  vault  of  considerable  depth,  where, 
after  three  days,  he  was  found  alive  by  his  friends,  who 
were  searching  for  his  remains,  in  order  to  give  them  iu- 


SOS  AN   ACCOUNT   OF   THE 

terraent.  This  unexpected  event  transported  the  Jews 
from  a  state  of  despondency  into  the  contrary  extreme  of 
joy;  and  the  preservation  of  their  general,  whom  they 
considered  as  an  instrument  essentially  necessary  in  the 
prosecution  of  the  war,  they  attributed  to  Divine  inter- 
position. 

During  these  transactions  Vespasian  arrived  with  his 
army  at  Antioeh.  where  king  Agrippa,  attended  by  his 
troops,  was  waiting  to  receive  him.  From  hence  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Ptolemais,  where  the  inhabitants  of  Sepphoris, 
a  city  in  Galilee,  had  assembled  on  occasion  of  his  ex- 
pected arrival.  These  were  a  well-disposed  people,  and 
being  conscious  of  the  great  power  of  the  Romans,  as 
well  as  desirous  of  making  provision  for  their  own  safety, 
they  acknowledged  Cestius  Gallius  as  their  governor, 
previous  to  the  arrival  of  Vespasian,  binding  themselves 
to  act  in  perfect  obedience  to  his  commands,  even  against 
their  own  countrymen,  and  at  the  same  time  declaring 
their  allegiance  to  the  state  of  Rome.  They  received  a 
garrison  from  Cestius  Gallus,  and  solicited  Vespasian  to 
grant  them  a  number  of  cavalry  and  infantry  sufficient  for 
their  defence,  in  case  they  should  be  attacked  by  the 
Jews.  Vespasian  readily  complied  with  this  request;  for 
Sepphoris  being  the  most  extensive  and  strongest  city  in 
Galilee,  he  judged  it  expedient  to  keep  so  important  a 
place  in  a  proper  state  of  defence. 

The  number  of  troops  granted  by  Vespasian  to  the 
people  of  Sepphoris  were,  a  thousand  cavalry  and  six 
thousand  infantry,  the  whole  of  which  were  placed  under 
the  command  of  Placidus  the  tribune.  After  these  troops 
had  been  drawn  up  on  the  great  plain,  the  foot,  for  the 
security  of  the  city,  were  quartered  within  the  walls,  and 
the  horse  were  ordered  into  the  camp.  The  Roman 
troops  made  daily  excursions  into  the  neighborhood, 
where  they  committed  many  acts  of  violence,  and  greatly 
incommoded  Joseph  (the  governor  of  Galilee)  and  his 
friends.  Not  satisfied  with  ravaging  the  country,  they 
made  booty  of  whatever  they  could  obtain  from  the  towns, 
and  treated  the  inhabitants  with  so  much  severity  that 
they  were  under  the  necessity  of  remaining  within  tint 
walls. 


FINAL   DESTRUCTION   OF   JERUSALEM.  309 

Matters  being  thus  circumstanced,  Joseph  exerted  his 
utmost  efforts  to  make  himself  master  of  Seppboris;  out 
lie  found  it  so  strongly  fortified)  that  it  appeared  to  be 
ioipregnable9  and,  despairing  of  success,  either  by  strata- 
gem or  force,  he  abandoned  all  farther  thoughts  of  the 
enterprize.  This  so  instated  the  Romans,  that  they  sub- 
jected the  people  to  the  most  terrible  calamities  of  lire 
and  sword,  putting  those  who  attempted  resistance  to 
instant  death,  reducing  the  rest  to  slavery,  and  making 
booty  of  all  the  property  they  could  find. 

In  the  mean  time  Titus  repaired  to  his  father  Ves- 
pasian at  Piolemais,  taking  with  him  the  fifth,  tenth  and 
fifteenth  legions,  which  were  reckoned  to  be  the  best 
disciplined  and  most  courageous  of  the  Roman  troops. 
These  were  followed  by  a  troop  of  horse  from  Cesarea, 
"with  a  great  number  of  auxiliaries,  both  horse  and  foot, 
from  other  places.  The  whole  army  amounted  to  sixty 
thousand,  exclusive  of  the  train  of  baggage,  and  a  great 
number  of  domestics,  most  of  whom,  having  been  trained 
to  the  practice  of  war,  were  but  little  inferior  to  the  sol- 
diers in  courage  and  dexterity. 

During  the  time  Vespasian  was  with  his  son  Titus  at 
Ptolemais,  he  ordered  every  necessary  measure  to  be  pur- 
sued for  the  proper  regulation  and  supply  of  his  army. 
In  the  mean  time  Placidus  made  an  excursion  into,  and 
overran,  the  whole  province  of  Judea,  where  he  took  a 
great  number  of  prisoners,  most  of  whom  he  put  to  death. 
These  were  people  destitute  of  courage,  but  such  as  pos- 
sessed a  greater  share  of  intrepidity  made  a  courageous 
resistance,  and  secured  themselves  in  the  cities,  and  other 
places  of  strength,  which  had  been  fortified  by  Joseph. 
Placidus  determined  to  direct  his  arms  against  those 
places  where  the  Galileans  had  fled  for  sanctuary;  and 
Jotapata  being  the  strongest  hold  they  possessed,  he  re- 
solved that  his  first  exploit  should  be  to  attempt  the  re- 
duction of  that  place.  The  inhabitants  of  Jotapata,  how- 
ever, gaining  intelligence  of  the  design  of  Placidus,  and 
that  he  was  marching  with  all  expedition  against  the 
place,  sallied  from  the  town,  in  order  to  give  him  battle. 
They  attacked  the  Romans  by  surprize,  and  as  the  fate 
of  their  wives;  children  and  country,  depended  on  the 


310  AN   ACCOUNT   OF   THE 

issue  of  the  contest,  they  fought  with  the  most  astonish- 
ing bravery,  and  with  such  success,  that  they  effectually 
repulsed  the  enemy,  after  which  Plaeidus  drew  off  his 
army. 

Vespasian,  having  resolved  to  make  an  excursion  into 
Galilee,  issued  marching  orders  to  his  troops,  according 
to  the  military  discipline  of  the  Romans,  and  departing 
from  Ptolemais,  encamped  his  army  on  the  frontiers  of 
Galilee.  He  might,  indeed,  have  advanced  farther,  but 
his  stopping  there  was  designed  to  strike  a  terror  into  the 
enemy  by  the  formidable  appearance  of  his  array.  In 
this  conjecture  he  was  not  deceived,  for  the  news  of  his 
approach  threw  the  Jews  into  the  greatest  consternation ; 
and  Joseph's  followers,  who  were  encamped  at  some 
distance  from  Sepphoris,  deserted  their  leader,  even  be- 
fore the  enemy  came  in  sight.  Being  thus  abandoned, 
and  finding  that  the  spirits  of  the  Jews  were  entirely  de- 
pressed, that  the  majority  of  his  people  had  already 
joined  the  enemy,  and  that  the  rest  seemed  inclined  to 
follow  their  example,  he  retreated  to  Tiberias,  accom- 
panied by  a  few  of  his  people  whom  he  could  trust,  and 
who  still  maintained  their  fidelity. 

The  first  place  Vespasian  laid  siege  to  after  his  arrival 
in  Galilee,  was  the  city  of  Gadara,  which  not  having  a 
sufficient  number  of  inhabitants  to  defend  it,  he  subdued, 
with  very  little  difficulty,  on  the  first  assault.  The  natur- 
al enmity  of  the  Romans  against  the  Jews,  together  with 
a  principle  of  revenge  for  their  having  defeated  Cestius, 
induced  them  to  put  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  pro- 
miscuously to  the  sword;  and,  not  satisfied  with  setting 
fire  to  the  conquered  city,  they  burnt,  aud  utterly  laid 
waste,  the  neighboring  small  towns  and  villages,  and 
subjected  the  inhabitants  to  slavery. 

In  the  mean  time  Joseph  (the  leader  of  the  Jews  in 
Galilee)  left  Tiberias  and  retired  to  the  strong  city  of 
Jotapata,  which  gave  great  encouragement  to  the  Jews  of 
that  place.  Joseph's  retreat  was  soon  made  known  to 
Vespasian  by  a  deserter,  who  advised  the  besieging  of 
Jotapata,  observing  that,  if  Joseph  could  be  taken,  the 
war  must  inevitably  terminate  to  the  disadvantage  of  the 
Jews.    Pleased  with  this  information,  and  hoping  to  gel 


PINAL    DESTRUCTION   OF   JERUSALEM.  iil  t 

•  iiii>  his  power  the  person  wliom  lie  considered  as  the 
most  formidable  of  his  enemies,  Vespasian  dispatched 
Placidus  and  /Ebutius  (the  latter  of  whom  was  one  of  the 
most  celebrated  men  of  the  army  for  bravery  and  military 
skill)  with  a  thousand  cavalry,  commanding  them  to  en- 
viron the  city  with  the  greatest  expedition,  and,  if  possi- 
ble, prevent  the  escape  of  Joseph. 

The  next  morning  Vespasian  issued  orders  for  his 
whole  army  to  march,  and,  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same 
day,  encamped  about  seven  furlongs  to  the  north  of  the 
city.  The  Romans  being  greatly  fatigued  by  their  march, 
did  not  attempt  any  thing  till  the  next  morning,  when 
they  began  to  assault  the  city,  which  was  defended  with 
great  bravery.  Vespasian  ordered  the  bow-men  and 
slingers  to  compel  the  Jews  to  desert  the  Avails,  while 
himself,  with  a  body  of  infantry,  began  an  assault  from 
au  eminence  convenient  for  battering  the  place ;  but  Jo- 
seph, at  the  head  of  the  Jews,  made  so  furious  an  attack 
on  the  enemy,  that  he  compelled  them  to  retreat. 

The  next  day  the  besiegers  renewed  the  assault,  and 
in  this  action  both  parties  displayed  the  most  distinguish- 
ed instances  of  valor.  The  Jews  were  encouraged  by  the 
undaunted  firmness  and  resolution  with  which,  con- 
trary to  the  most  sanguine  expectations,  they  had  sus- 
tained the  first  assault;  aud  the  shame  of  having  been  re- 
pulsed invigorated  the  spirits  of  the  Romans.  Notwith- 
standing the  great  danger  and  difficulty  of  the  euterprize, 
the  latter  continued  to  pursue  their  attacks  with  the  ut- 
most vigor,  while  the  Jews,  regardless  of  their  great 
numbers  and  strength,  made  frequent  sallies  against  them 
with  considerable  advantage. 

The  city  of  Jotapata  was  situated  on  a  rock,  and  utter- 
ly inaccessible,  except  on  the  north,  where  a  part  of  it 
stood  on  the  brow  of  a  mountain.  This  quarter  Joseph 
caused  to  be  strongly  fortified,  thereby  precluding  the 
enemy  from  taking  advantage  of  another  mountain  by 
which  it  was  overlooked,  and  which,  with  the  other 
mountains  adjoining,  so  entirely  enclosed  the  place,  that 
it  could  only  be  seen  at  a  very  small  distance. 

After  several  days  fruitless  attempts,  Vespasiau,  find- 
ing the  place  so  admirably  situated  for  defence,  and  that 


Sig  AN    ACCOUNT   OF   THE 

he  had  to  contend  with  an  intrepid  and  determined  ene- 
my, assembled  a  council  of  his  principal  officers,  in  order 
to  debate  on  the  most  proper  means  of  obtaining  a  victo- 
ry. The  issue  of  this  deliberation  was,  that  a  large  ter- 
race should  be  raised  on  that  side  of  the  city  which  ap- 
peared to  be  the  least  capable  of  resistance.  Accordingly, 
the  whole  army  was  employed  in  the  work,  which  they 
pursued  with  surprizing  rapidity,  and  the  utmost  efforts 
of  the  Jews  to  oppose  them  proved  ineffectual. 

In  the  mean  time  Joseph  ordered  the  wall  of  the  city 
to  be  raised  in  proportion  to  the  advancement  of  the  ene- 
my's works.  The  Jews,  at  first  declined  the  undertaking, 
urging  the  impossibility  of  pursuing  their  business,  as 
they  should  be  continually  exposed  to  the  enemy.  To 
remove  these  fears,  Joseph  suggested  the  following  inven- 
tion, as  a  defence  against  fire,  stones  and  other  weapons. 
He  caused  large  stakes  to  be  fixed  in  the  ground,  and 
raw  hides  of  beasts  to  be  stretched  upon  them,  the  yield- 
ing quality  of  which  would  prevent  any  material  effect 
from  the  lances  and  stones,  and  at  the  same  time  their 
moisture  would  damp  the  fire  of  the  enemy.  The  Jews, 
thinking  themselves  secure  through  Joseph's  contrivance, 
continued  indefatigably  industrious  in  the  work  both 
night  and  day;  and  they  soon  erected  a  wall  several 
cubits  high,  on  which  were  formed  towers  and  strong  em- 
battlements. 

Vespasian  now  relinquished  all  hopes  of  subduing  the 
place  by  storm;  he  therefore  blocked  it  up,  flattering  him- 
self with  the  expectation,  that  by  cutting  off  all  commu- 
nication, the  consequent  necessities  of  the  people  would 
perform  the  business  of  the  sword,  or,  at  least,  render 
them  incapable  of  making  any  advantageous  resistance. 
There  was  an  abundant  supply  of  corn  and  all  other 
necessaries  in  the  town,  excepting  water,  which  latter 
article  they  only  received  from  the  clouds,  there  being 
neither  spring  or  fountain  within  the  walls  of  the  city. 
The  prospect  of  a  scarcity  of  water  induced  Joseph,  who 
was  determined  not  to  abandon  himself  to  despair,  to 
limit  each  man  to  a  daily  allowance,  in  consequence  of 
which  a  universal  discontent  prevailed  among  the  people. 
This   circumstance   could   not  be   concealed  from   the 


FINAL    DESTRUCTION    OF   JERUSALEM.  oil 

.Romans,  who,  iVoin  an  adjacent  hill,  observed  the  people 
assembled  to  receive  their  respective  portions,  and  were 
otherwise  informed  of  the  general  discontent  which  had 
taken  place  on  that  occasion.  Vespasian  was  in  continual 
expectation  of  making  himself  master  of  the  town*  but 
Joseph,  to  convince  him  that  he  was  not  likely  to  suc- 
ceed from  their  distress  for  want  of  water,  hit  upon  the 
following  stratagem:  he  caused  great  numbers  of  wet 
cloths  to  be  hung  upon  the  battlements,  which  were  no 
sooner  observed  by  the  Romans,  than  they  concluded  a 
scarcity  of  water  could  not  prevail  in  the  town,  as  in  that 
case  they  would  hardly  make  use  of  such  an  article  in  so 
profuse  a  manner.  In  consequence  of  this,  Vespasian  no 
longer  entertaining  hopes  that  the  enemy  would  surrender 
through  want  of  the  necessaries  of  life,  had  again  re- 
course to  arms.  This  proved  a  circumstance  highly 
agreeable  to  the  Jews,  who,  being  reduced  to  the  great- 
est distress,  entertained  the  most  terrible  apprehensions 
of  falling  miserable  sacrifices  to  famine,  to  which  they  in- 
finitely preferred  a  glorious  death  in  the  field. 

In  the  midst  of  this  distress,  Joseph  recollected,  that 
on  the  west  side  of  the  city,  there  was  a  hollow  or  gutter 
in  a  place  so  little  frequented,  that  it  was  not  likely  to 
have  been  observed  by  the  enemy.  In  consequence  of 
this  he  sent  messengers  to  the  Jews  without  the  city,  re- 
questing them  to  cause  water  and  other  necessaries  to  be 
conveyed  to  him  through  this  passage,  and,  as  a  proper 
security  to  the  messengers,  he  ordered  them  to  be  covered 
with  hides  of  beasts,  and  to  go  on  their  hands  and  feet, 
that,  in  case  of  being  observed  by  the  watch,  they  might 
be  mistaken  for  dogs  and  other  animals. 

This  scheme  had,  for  some  time,  the  desired  effect,  and 
an  intercourse  was  maintained  between  those  without  the 
city  and  those  within,  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  the  lat- 
ter. But  at  length  the  Romans  discovered  the  project, 
which  they  effectually  destroyed  by  closely  blocking  up 
the  passage,  and  thereby  cutting  off  all  communication 
whatever. 

Joseph  now  perceived  that  it  would  be  fruitless  to  at- 
tempt a  longer  defence  of  the  city,  and  therefore  he  joined 
with  several  of  the  principal  men  in  suggesting  the  means 

VOL.   iY.  R   R 


Si-4  AN    ACCOUNT   OF   THE 

of  escape.  The  people,  suspecting  on  what  subject  they 
were  met  to  deliberate,  repaired  in  great  multitudes  to 
Joseph,  earnestly  supplicating,  that  as  he  was  the  only 
man  from  whom  they  could  expect  relief,  he  would  not 
des*ei\  them  in  their  then  extremity ;  observing,  that  while 
he  was  secure  they  could  not  despair  of  success,  and  de- 
claring that  they  could  not  die  more  honorably  than  while 
acting  in  obedience  to  his  commands.  They  told  him 
that  if  it  should  prove  their  misfortune  to  fall  into  the 
power  of  the  Romans,  he  would  acquire  the  immortal 
fame  of  having  equally  scorned  to  fly  from  the  enemy,  or 
desert  the  people  under  his  protection :  that  by  leaving 
them  he  would  manifest  a  conduct  similar  to  that  of  a 
man  taking  upon  him  the  command  of  a  ship  in  temperate 
weather,  and  abandoning  it  in  a  storm:  they  likewise 
added,  that  after  losing  the  only  man  in  whom  they  could 
place  a  confidence  of  success,  they  could  no  longer  cher- 
ish the  hope  of  relieving  their  country. 

Joseph,  who  was  unwilling  to  have  it  believed  that  his 
intention  was  engrossed  on  the  means  of  providing  for 
Ills  own  safety,  told  them,  that  if  they  were  compelled  to 
surrender,  his  remaining  with  them  could  not  possibly 
operate  in  their  favor;  whereas,  if  he  obtained  his  liber- 
ty, he  might  be  able  to  draw  an  army  out  of  Galilee  suf- 
ficiently early  to  raise  the  siege;  and  that  his  continuing 
in  the  city  would  be  productive  of  unfortunate  instead  of 
happy  consequences,  since  the  expectation  of  making  him 
a  prisoner  would  induee  the  Homans  to  continue  a  vigor- 
ous prosecution  of  the  siege,  which  they  might  probably 
decline  if  he  could  effect  an  escape. 

But  these  arguments,  instead  of  reconciling  the  multi- 
tude, rendered  them  still  more  importunate,  and  with  the 
most  bitter  lamentations  they  urgently  supplicated  that  he 
would  still  continue  his  protection  to  them.  Impressed 
with  tenderness  and  gratitude  towards  the  people,  Joseph 
considered  that  if  he  remained  in  the  town,  they  would 
attribute  his  compliance  with  their  request  to  the  influ- 
ence they  had  over  him,  and  that  if  he  persisted  in  a  re- 
fusal, they  might  probably  detain  him  by  force;  and 
therefore,  resolved  to  share  the  common  danger,  he  ad- 
dressed them  as  follows :  "  My  dear  friends,  and  faithful 


tttfAL   DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM.  31.1 

Ci  countrymen,  the  period  is  arrived,  when  wc  are  re- 
••  quired  to  exert  our  utmost  bravery,  since  in  that  alone 
*■  we  can  place  our  hopes  of  safety.  If  we  lose  our  lives 
"  our  reward  will  be  a  large  share  of  honor,  and  our 
(i  names  will  be  endeared  to  the  latest  posterity." 

This  address  was  received  with  universal  satisfaction 
by  the  people,  immediately  after  which  Joseph,  at  the 
head  of  the  most  courageous  of  the  Jews,  assaulted  the 
enemy's  guards,  whom  he  compelled  to  desert  their 
trenches,  and  retreat  to  the  camp. 

Joseph  and  his  army  now  defended  themselves  against 
the  power  of  the  Romans  with  the  most  astonishing  power 
and  resolution.  This  they  continued  to  do  for  the  space 
of  forty  days,  when  a  deserter  represented  to  Vespasian 
the  state  of  the  town,  informing  him  that,  through  the  loss 
of  men,  and  the  hard  duty  which  the  survivors  were 
obliged  incessantly  to  perform,  the  garrison  was  so  re- 
duced, that  it  must  necessarily  surrender  to  a  vigorous 
attack,  and  more  especially  if  advantage  was  to  be  taken 
of  a  favorable  opportunity  for  making  the  assault  by  sur- 
prize. He  likewise  strongly  advised  the  Roman  general 
to  attempt  the  enterprize  before  day-light,  when  the  Jews 
would  not  be  apprehensive  of  danger,  and  the  vigilance 
of  the  guard  abated  by  fatigue  and  an  inclination  to  sleep. 

Vespasian,  being  sensible  that  the  Jews  possessed  a 
remarkable  fidelity  to  each  other,  which  the  most  excru- 
ciating torments  could  not  force  them  to  violate,  was  un- 
willing, at  first,  to  put  any  confidence  in  what  the  deserter 
had  related.  He  had  been  witness  to  a  recent  instance  of 
the  amazing  constancy  and  resolution  of  the  Jews,  in  the 
case  of  one  of  Joseph's  people,  who  being  made  a  pris- 
oner, and  interrogated  respecting  the  state  of  the  city,  re- 
fused to  divulge  a  single  circumstance,  and  persisted  in 
that  resolution  during  the  most  excessive  torments,  and 
while  he  was  undergoing  the  sentence  of  crucifixion. 
Considering,  however,  that  the  information  of  the  deserter 
might  possibly  be  founded  in  truth,  and  that  no  ill  conse- 
quences were  likely  to  ensue  from  his  appearing  to  believe 
that  to  be  the  case,  Vespasian  ordered  the  man  to  be  se- 
cured, and  every  necessary  preparation  to  be  made  for 
the  attack. 


316  AN   ACCOUNT   OF  THE 

The  Roman  army  began  a  silent  march  at  an  appointed 
hour  of  the  night,  which  had  been  previously  agreed  upon 
agreeable  to  the  plan  laid  down  by  the  deserter.  On  their 
arrival  at  the  walls  of  the  town,  finding  the  centinels 
asleep,  they  immediately  dispatched  them,  and,  without 
the  least  molestation,  entered  the  city,  followed  by  a 
large  body  of  troops  under  the  command  of  the  tribune 
Placidus.  Notwithstanding  it  was  open  day  before  the 
Romans  gained  possession  of  the  fort,  and  made  them- 
selves masters  of  the  town,  the  Jewish  army  was  so  ex- 
hausted and  fatigued  by  incessant  labor  and  watching, 
that  they  did  not  entertain  the  least  idea  of  their  danger  till 
the  enemy  had  actually  gained  their  point;  and  even  those 
who  were  awake  were  almost  equal  strangers  to  the  mis- 
fortune, as  they  could  not  clearly  distinguish  objects  on 
account  of  a  thick  fog,  which  then  prevailed,  and  con- 
tinued till  the  whole  Roman  army  had  gained  admittance 
into  the  city. 

The  Romans,  recollectiug  the  sufferings  they  had  un- 
dergone during  the  course  of  the  siege,  laid  aside  every 
sentiment  of  humanity  and  compassion  towards  the  be- 
sieged. They  threw  many  of  the  Jews  from  the  top  of  the 
'fort,  who  were  instantly  killed  by  the  fall,  and  others, 
who  had  courage  enough  to  make  resistance,  were  either 
pressed  to  death  by  the  immense  crouds  of  the  enemy,  or 
forced  down  precipices,  and  killed  by  the  ruins  which 
fell  from  above.  Such  of  the  guards  as  first  observed  the 
city  to  be  taken  fled  to  a  turret  on  the  walls,  where  they 
were  attacked  by  the  enemy,  against  whom,  for  some  time, 
they  made  a  resolute  defence.  Being  oppressed  by  numbers, 
they  offered  to  capitulate;  but  their  proposals  were  re- 
jected, and  the  whole  put  to  the  sword.  Every  Jew,  who 
was  met  by  the  Romans  on  that  day,  was  put  to  instant 
death;  and  during  some  following  days  they  carefully 
gearched  for  such  as  had  concealed  themselves  in  private 
places,  all  of  whom,  except  women  and  children,  they 
destroyed,  Having  thus  obtained  a  complete  victory, 
Vespasian,  after  withdrawing  his  forces  from  the  town, 
ordered  the  fortress  to  be  burnt,  which  was  accordingly 
done,  and  the  whole  city  laid  in  ruins. 


PINAL    DESTRUCTION   OF   JERUSALEM.  317 

Tlie  Romans,  induced  partly  by  personal  enmity,  and 
partly  by  an  officious  zeal  to  ingratiate  themselves  into 
the  favor  of  their  general,  assiduously  employed  them- 
selves in  searching  every  part  of  the  adjoining  country,  in 
order  to  find  out  the  leader  of  the  Jews.  It  was  Joseph's 
fortune  to  escape  through  the  midst  of  his  enemies,  and 
to  find  a  deep  pit,  having  a  passage  leading  to  a  spacious 
cavern,  in  which  he  discovered  forty  distinguished  Jews 
who  had  (here  taken  sanctuary,  and  were  supplied  with 
sufficient  necessaries  to  last  them  several  days.  The  ene- 
my being  in  possession  of  the  whole  adjacent  country, 
Joseph  judged  it  unsafe  to  venture  abroad  by  day,  and 
therefore  he  left  his  retreat  only  by  night,  with  a  view  of 
discovering  if  there  remained  any  probability  of  effecting 
an  escape:  but  finding  the  enemy  exceeding  vigilant,  he 
repeatedly  returned  to  the  cavern  despairing  of  success. 
On  the  third  day  he  was  betrayed  by  a  woman,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  Vespasian  dispatched  Paulinus  and  Gal- 
lanicus,  two  tribunes,  to  the  place  where  he  was  secreted, 
authorizing  them  to  assure  Joseph,  that,  on  condition  of 
leaving  his  retreat,  he  should  meet  with  a  kind  and  honor- 
able reception.  Joseph,  conscious  that  the  injuries  the 
Romans  had  sustained  at  his  hands  entitled  him  to  punish- 
ment rather  than  reward,  thought  it  unsafe  to  rely  on 
Vespasian's  word  of  honor,  and  therefore  he  declined  the. 
proposal.  In  consequence  of  this  Vespasian  sent  another 
tribune,  named  Nicanor,  who  had  long  been  intimately 
acquainted  with  Joseph,  and  was,  in  fact,  his  most  sin- 
cere friend.  Nicanor  forcibly  expostulated  with  him  on 
the  impropriety  of  refusing  to  comply  with  Vespasian's 
request;  lie  represented  to  him  the  generosity  and  benev- 
olence of  the  Romans  towards  those  they  conquered : 
that  so  far  from  Vespasian's  entertaining  an  enmity 
against  him,  he  highly  esteemed  him  as  being  a  man  of 
singular  intrepidity,  and  possessed  of  other  eminent 
virtues;  and  that  the  Roman  general  must  indisputably 
have  favorable  views,  since  he  condescended  to  propose 
terms  to  a  man  who  was  already  subject  to  his  power. 
"  Can  you  imagine,  said  Nicanor,  that  Vespasian  would 
<(  employ  a  friend  in  an  office  of  treachery :  or  that  I 
'(  would  accept  from  him  so  dishonorable  a  commission?" 


318  AN    ACCOUNT   OF  THE 

Notwithstanding  these  remonstrances,  Joseph,  for  some 
time,  declined  a  compliance ;  but  at  length,  from  the  very 
forcible  arguments  and  advice  of  Nicauor,  he  agreed  to 
submit.  In  consequence  of  this,  his  companions  instantly 
drew  their  swords,  and  threatened,  if  he  surrendered  to 
put  him  to  death.  Joseph,  being  apprehensive  that  they 
might  carry  their  designs  into  execution,  was  desirous  of 
avoiding  so  horrid  an  intention;  to  effect  which  he  ad- 
dressed them  as  follows :  "  Why,  my  good  friends,  do 
a  you  suffer  yourselves  to  be  so  far  transported  by  the 
"  violence  of  passion,  as  to  cherish  the  idea  of  separating 
u  the  soul  and  body,  which  are  so  intimately  united  by 
(i  nature  ?  To  fall  by  the  hand  of  a  victor  in  a  war  main- 
"  tained  according  to  the  laws  of  arms  is,  without  dispute, 
u  a  glorious  fate.  I  should  make  no  greater  difficulty  of 
"  taking  away  my  own  life  than  of  requesting  a  Roman 
"  to  perform  that  office ;  but  if  the  Romans  are  inclined  to 
"  shew  mercy  to  an  enemy,  will  reason  justify  that  enemy 
"  in  having  no  mercy  on  himself?  No  death  can  be  more 
4i  honorable  than  that  of  the  man  who  yields  his  life  to 
li  the  superior  power  of  an  adversary  that  means  to  de- 
"  prive  him  of  the  inestimable  blessing  of  liberty.  But 
"  the  Romans  wish  not  our  deaths;  and  all  animosity 
(i  should  now  cease;  for  the  cause  of  our  contention  is  at  an 
"  end.  The  man  who  rejects  life  when  his  duty  requires 
"  him  to  preserve  it,  is  as  pusillanimous  as  he  who,  in 
Ci  opposition  to  the  dictates  of  honor,  trembles  to  meet  his 
"  fate.  Is  it  not  frOui  the  fear  of  death  alone,  that  we 
"  hesitate  to  yield  to  the  Romans?  Shall  we  precipitate 
i£  ourselves  into  certain  destruction  for  the  purpose  of 
"  avoiding  a  threatened  danger,  which  probably  may  not 
"  arrive?  If  you  conceive  that  we  ought  to  die  to 
((  avoid  slavery,  I  must  request  you  to  recollect,  that  we 
"  enjoy  not  liberty  in  the  miserable  situation  to  which  we 
"  are  now  reduced.  If  you  suppose  him  to  be  a  brave 
u  man  who  deprives  himself  of  life,  I  would  ask  what 
"  opinion  you  would  form  of  the  commander  of  a  vessel 
?'  who,  during  a  calm,  should  sink  his  ship  from  an  ap- 
"  prehension  that  a  tempest  might  arise?  The  desire  of 
"  preserving  life  is  a  principle  implanted  in  the  whole 
u  animal  creation;  and  therefore  to  deprive  ourselves  of 


FINAL   DESTRUCTION    OF   JERUSALEM.  319 

*'•  existence  is  to  violate  ilic  order  of  nature,  and  offer  a 
*•  sierilcgious  insult  to  tiod.  If  we  desire  to  live,  may 
••  we  not  indulge  that  desire,  since  we  have  given  exem- 
'•'  plary  proofs  of  our  courage  and  virtue?  But  if  we  are 
u  resolved  to  die,  let  us  fall  by  the  hands  of  our  con- 
*  qucrors.  We  shall  have  no  cause  for  regret  if  the  Ro- 
a  mans  prove  treacherous;  but  on  the  contrary,  we  shall 
a  resign  our  lives  with  pleasure,  since  we  shall  enjoy  the 
u  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  the  perfidy  of  the  enemy 
"'•  must  necessarily  diminish  the  glory  of  their  victory,  and 
•*  render  them  infamous  to  the  latest  posterity." 

Joseph  imagined  that  these  arguments  would  have  in- 
duced the  Jews  to  relinquish  the  determination  of  putting 
an  end  to  his  life ;  but  in  this  he  found  himself  mistaken, 
for  instead  of  appeasing,  his  address  provoked  them  to 
the  utmost  extravagance  of  rage;  they  approached  him 
with  their  swords  drawn,  upbraided  him  in  the  most 
severe  terms  as  being  of  a  contemptibly  irresolute  disposi- 
tion, and  threatened  him  with  instant  death.  Thus  situ- 
ated, Joseph  addressed  his  companions  in  the  most  sooth- 
ing manner,  which  seldom  fails  to  gain  respect  from  those 
who  have  been  accustomed  to  obey ;  he  called  one  by  his 
name,  took  another  by  the  hand,  and  endeavored  to  en . 
gage  the  attention  of  the  rest  by  arguments  and  such  other 
means  as  he  conceived  to  be  best  adapted  for  obtaining 
the  end  he  had  in  view.  Thus,  by  a  singular  address  in 
applying  to  the  various  humors  and  dispositions  of  his 
companions,  Joseph  averted  the  danger  that  threatened 
him.  The  rage  of  the  Jews  subsided,  their  esteem  and 
veneration  for  their  general  revived,  and  they  freely  gave 
him  his  liberty  to  act  as  he  should  think  proper.  Being 
thus  relieved  from  the  extremity  to  which  he  was  reduced 
by  the  Romans  on  one  hand,  and  by  his  own  countrymen 
on  the  other,  Joseph  surrendered  himself  to  Nicanor,  who 
immediately  conducted  him  to  Vespasian. 

The  desire  of  seeing  Joseph  appear  before  the  Roman 
general  caused  prodigious  numbers  of  people  to  assemble, 
some  of  whom  rejoiced  to  see  that  he  was  alive,  while 
others  vented  menaces  and  the  most  bitter  execrations 
against  him.  Those  who  were  sufficiently  near  to  observe 
his  person,  recollected  the  many  extraordinary  incidents 


320  AN*   ACCOUNT   OF   THL 

of  his  life,  and  reflecting  on  his  then  situation,  were  great- 
ly astonished  on  the  comparison.  Notwithstanding  the  in- 
veteracy which  the  Roman  general  had  entertained 
against  Joseph,  they  tenderly  compassionated  him  in  his 
captivity;  but  Titus  was  most  particularly  affected,  for 
on  account  of  his  advanced  age,  and  the  unconquerable 
dignity  of  his  mind  in  the  most  extreme  dangers  and  dis- 
tresses, he  entertained  a  great  veneration  for  Joseph, 
whose  former  elevated  station  and  great  exploits,  together 
with  the  humiliating  condition  to  which  he  was  now  re- 
duced, he  most  seriously  considered,  and  then  proceeded 
to  make  some  reflections  on  the  chance  of  war,  and  the 
mutability  of  human  affairs.  Those  who  heard  Titus 
adopted  his  sentiments;  and  he  greatly  contributed  to- 
wards the  preservation  of  Joseph,  by  influencing  Ves- 
pasian in  his  favor. 

Vespasian  intimated  his  intentions  of  sending  Joseph  to 
Nero,  and  ordered  him  to  be  kept  a  close  prisoner.  In 
consequence  of  this  Joseph  requested  to  have  an  audience 
with  Vespasian,  which  being  granted,  he  was  conducted 
to  the  general's  apartment,  from  whence  every  person  was 
dismissed,  except  Titus  and  two  of  his  friends.  In  the 
presence  of  these  Joseph,  addressing  himself  to  Vespa- 
sian, spoke  as  follows :  "  You  see  me  here,  sir,  your 
(i  prisoner,  and  perhaps  you  consider  me  in  no  other 
"  character ;  but  believe  me  I  am  no  less  than  a  messen- 
"  ger  sent  by  Providence  to  impart  to  you  a  matter  of  the 
"  highest  importance.*  Had  I  not  been  charged  with 
"  this  commision  I  should  have  acted  consistent  with  the 
u  character  of  a  Jewish  general,  and  have  died  rather 
"  than  have  submitted  to  be  made  a  prisoner.  It  is  un- 
"  necessary  to  send  me  to  Nero,  since  Vespasian  is  so 
"  near  succeeding  to  the  empire,  which,  upon  his  decease, 
"  will  devolve  on  his  son  Titus.   Let  me  be  kept  a  pri- 

*  While  Joseph  was  with  his  companions  in  the  cavern,  he  had 
a  most  remarkable  vision,  in  which  were  communicated  to  him  the 
success  and  grandeur  which  the  Romans  should  experience,  and  the 
miseries  which  should  attend  the  Jews.  It  was  likewise  revealed  to 
him  that  Vespasian  should  become  emperor,  and  that  himsell'should 
he  the  messenger  of  that  intelligence;  and  this  it  was  that  made 
him  so  strenuous  in  requestiug  his  companions  to  spare  his  life. 


FINAL  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.      331 

u  soner,  and  guarded  with  unremitting  circumspection ;  I 
rt  only  request  to  remain  the  prisoner  of  Vespasian,  who, 
"  by  the  right  of  conquest,  is  become  the  master  of  my 
u  life  and  liberty,  and  will,  in  a  short  time,  be  advanced 
"  to  the  sovereignty  of  the  Roman  empire.  If  it  shall 
"  hereafter  appear  that  I  have  made  use  of  any  artifice  to 
"  induce  you  to  repose  confidence  in  an  impostor,  you  will 
r  perform  an  act  of  justice  in  subjecting  me  to  the  most 
"  severe  and  exemplary  punishment." 

At  first  Vespasian  considered  Joseph's  address  as  a 
mere  fiction,  contrived  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  his 
favor;  but  experiencing  certain  indications,  and  finding 
them  exactly  correspond  with  what  Joseph  had  related, 
his  doubts  gradually  subsided,  and  he  gave  full  confi- 
dence to  the  prediction.  One  of  the  persons  who  was 
permitted  to  be  present  at  the  interview,  observed  to 
Joseph,  that  since  he  pretended  to  a  knowledge  of  future 
events,  he  requested  to  be  informed  by  what  means  it 
happened  that  he  remained  ignorant  of  the  destruction  of 
Jotapata,  and  of  his  own  captivity.  To  which  Joseph 
replied,  he  had  predicted  to  the  inhabitants  that  the  town 
would  be  conquered,  and  himself  made  a  prisoner  by  the 
enemy.  In  consequence  of  this  reply,  Vespasian  ordered 
a  secret  enquiry  to  be  made  among  the  Jewish  prisoners 
relative  to  the  truth  of  what  he  had  asserted ;  this  was  ac- 
cordingly done,  and  the  Jews  confirming  every  particular 
related  by  Joseph,  the  general  was  induced  to  judge  more 
favorably  of  what  he  had  foretold  respecting  himself. 

Joseph  continued  to  be  guarded  with  the  greatest  cir- 
cumspection; but  the  irksomeness  of  confinement  was,  in. 
a  great  degree,  mitigated  by  his  being  allowed  every  ac- 
commodation, and  convenience,  together  with  the  particu- 
lar respect  and  kindness  which  he  received  from  Titus. 

After  the  conquest  of  Jotapata,  and  the  total  destruc- 
tion of  that  city,  Vespasian  repaired  with  his  army  to 
Cesarea,  where  he  took  up  his  winter  quarters ;  but  that 
he  might  not  overburthen  the  inhabitants  of  that  city,  he 
sent  the  fifth  and  tenth  legions  to  Scythopolis. 

Early  in  the  ensuing  spring  Vespasian  renewed  his 
operations  against  the  Jews.  He  sent  his  son  Titus  at 
the  head  of  a  considerable  army  into  one  part  of  Judea; 

yol,  iv.        S  s 


-322  AN    ACCOUNT    OF   THE 

whilst  himself  went  into  another;  and  between  them  they 
reduced  the  most  principal  places  in  that  country,  the  in- 
habitants of  some  of  which  quietly  submitted ;  but  others, 
after  holding  out  with  the  utmost  resistance  in  their 
power,  were  conquered,  and  great  numbers  put  to  the 
sword. 

After  these  conquests  Vespasian  returned  to  Cesarea, 
where  he  formed  the  resolution  of  laying  siege  to  Jerusa- 
lem; but  while  he  was  making  the  necessary  preparations 
for  this  purpose,  he  received  an  account  of  the  death  of 
Nero,  after  a  reign  of  thirteen  years  and  eight  days.  In 
consequence  of  this  intelligence,  Vespasian  suspended  his 
preparations  for  the  expedition  towards  Jerusalem.  Find- 
ing that  Galba  was  destined  to  succeed  to  the  empire,  he 
thought  it  would  not  be  a  prudent  measure  to  take  so  im- 
portant a  step  without  express  orders  for  so  doing.  He 
therefore  dispatched  his  son  Titus  to  wait  on  Galba,  at 
once  to  congratulate  him  on  the  succession  to  the  empire, 
and  to  take  his  directions  how  to  act  in  the  then  exigency 
of  affairs.  King  Agrippa  (who  was  at  this  time  in 
Cesarea)  being  desirous  to  embark  with  Titus  on  this  in- 
teresting occasion,  they  set  sail  in  the  same  vessel;  but 
while  they  were  on  their  voyage  (which  was  exceeding 
tedious  owing  to  the  contrariety  of  the  wind)  and  near  to 
Achaia,  they  received  intelligence  that  Galba  was  slain, 
after  having  governed  only  seven  months,  and  that  Otho 
succeeded  him,  who  reigned  only  three  months.  This 
change  in  affairs  did  not  prevent  Agrippa  from  prosecut- 
ing his  journey  from  Achaia  to  Rome;  but  Titus  sailed 
from  thence  to  Syria,  and  proceeded  with  all  expedition 
to  his  father  at  Cesarea. 

A  short  time  after  the  return  of  Titus  to  Cesarea,  Ves- 
pasian received  intelligence  that  a  civil  war  had  broke 
out  in  Rome,  occasioned  by  Vitellius,  a  daring  and  en- 
terprizing  man,  who,  on  the  death  of  Otho,  had,  with  the 
assistance  of  a  great  hody  of  German  soldiers,  possessed 
himself  of  the  sovereignty  of  the  empire.  Vespasian  was 
a  man  who  had  a  just  opinion  of  the  respect  that  should 
be  shewn  to  superiors,  and  was  as  well  calculated  to  obey 
as  to  command ;  but  notwithstanding  this,  he  was  greatly 
chagrined  to  acknowledge  the  supreme  authority  of  him 


FINAL    DESTRUCTION    OF   JERUSALEM. 

vilio  rather  seized  the  empire  as  a  plunder,  than  became 
possessed  of  it  as  an  honor.  In  a  word,  this  astonishing 
change  in  the  public  affairs  affected  him  to  such  a  degree* 
that  lie  could  no  longer  entertain  any  idea  of  prosecuting 
(foreign  wars,  when  his  country  at  home  was  distracted 
by  (lie  most  disagreeable  circumstances.  Yet,  though  his 
indignation  on  the  one  hand  urged  him  to  a  speedy  re- 
venge, yet  on  the  other  he  was  deterred  from  putting  his 
design  into  execution,  by  the  consideration  of  the  diffi- 
culties and  hazards  that  would  attend  so  long  a  journey 
in  the  midst  of  winter,  besides  the  probability  of  many 
unexpected  incidents  which  might  happen  before  he 
could  arrive  in  Italy. 

While  Vespasian  was  debating  this  subject  in  his 
mind,  the  officers  of  his  army  (all  of  whom  were 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  revolutions  which  had 
taken  place  in  Home)  associated  together,  and  discoursed 
with  the  utmost  freedom  on  the  affairs  of  the  state  and 
government.  Among  other  things  they  exclaimed  most 
violently  against  the  German  soldiers,  who  were  the 
protectors  of  Vitellius,  ridiculing  them  as  a  band  of  dis- 
solute and  effeminate  creatures,  who  would  be  afraid  to 
face  even  the  usual  terrors  of  war.  "  What  (said  they) 
"  shall  people  like  these  dispose  of  empires,  or  rather  sell 
"  them  to  the  highest  bidder?  Is  it  possible  for  them  to 
"  imagine  that  we,  who  have  undergone  all  the  fatigue 
(i  attending  excessive  labor,  till  we  are  grown  old  in  the 
U  use  of  arms ;  that  we  will  ever  submit  to  be  governed 
u  by  an  emperor  chosen  by  them,  when  we  have  a  prince 
u  of  our  owu  who  is  much  more  worthy  of  the  govern - 
"  ment?  Besides,  if  we  omit  the  present  opportunity  of 
(i  testifying  our  gratitude  for  the  numerous  obligations 
u  we  owe  to  the  generosity  of  Vespasian,  it  is  not  very 
"  probable  that  a  similar  prospect  of  paying  him  the 
"  proper  compliment  will  ever  again  offer.  Exclusive  of 
(i  these  considerations,  the  personal  merit  of  Vespasiau 
(i  hath  as  much  better  qualified  him  for  the  dignity  of  em 
"  peror  than  that  of  Vitellius,  as  our  merits  have  quali- 
*'  tied  us  for  the  choice,  beyond  that  of  those  who  have 
"  elected  him.  With  regard  to  Vespasian,  there  can  be 
(i  no  debate,  or  competition ;  for  the  senate  and  people  of 


3S4  AN   ACCOUNT   OF  THE 

(i  Rome  are  entirely  in  his  interest ;  nor  would  they  even 
"  listen  to  an  insinuation  of  the  licentiousness  and  de- 
6{  bauches  of  Vitellius  being  put  in  competition  with  the 
(i  modest  and  temperate  behavior  of  Vespasian ;  for  this, 
"  in  fact,  would  be  to  prefer  an  abandoned  tyrant  to  a 
u  humane  prince.  After  all  we  have  said,  let  it  be  con- 
u  sidered  what  a  ridiculous  figure  we  should  make,  and 
66  how  egregiously  we  should  be  duped ;  we,  who,  of  all 
"  men  living,  have  the  greatest  obligations  to  Vespasian, 
"  if  the  senate  themselves  should  elect  him  emperor,  and 
"  thus  take  out  of  our  hands  the  merit  of  so  distinguished 
<(  an  action,  while  we  are  idly  debating  on  the  method  of 
"  proceeding  in  such  an  exigency." 

To  this  purpose  was  the  conversation  of  the  officers 
under  Vespasian.  Their  first  meetings  were  held  in  a 
secret  manner;  but  having  publicly  declared  their  senti- 
ments to  the  soldiers,  all  of  whom  agreed  with  them  in 
opinion,  they  resolved  to  make  choice  of  Vespasian  as 
emperor,  and  entreated  him  to  take  under  his  protection 
an  empire  that  was  shaken  to  its  foundation.  Vespasian 
had,  for  a  long  time,  been  the  support  of  the  empire ;  but 
he  was  so  far  from  being  ambitious  of  the  dignity  of  em- 
peror, that  he  absolutely  declined  it,  declaring  that  he 
chose  rather  to  continue  in  that  line  of  life  to  which  he 
had  been  accustomed,  than  accept  of  the  pomp  and  dig- 
nity to  which  he  was  invited.  But  the  more  desirous 
Vespasian  was  to  avoid  this  compliment,  the  more 
earnestly  did  the  people  press  his  acceptance  of  it ;  till 
at  length,  on  his  repeated  refusal,  they  advanced  to  him 
with  drawn  swords,  and  threatened  his  destruction  if  he 
any  longer  refused  accepting  an  honor  of  which  he  was 
so  deserving.  Still,  however,  for  a  time,  he  refused ;  but 
at  length  yielded  to  an  importunity  that  was  not  to  be 
resisted. 

The  government  of  the  empire  was  no  sooner  accepted 
by  Vespasian,  than  Mucianus,  and  the  other  officers, 
joined  with  the  whole  body  of  the  array  in  requesting 
that  he  would  immediately  march  his  forces  against 
Vitellius  ;  but  Vespasian  thought  it  would  be  most 
prudent  first  to  bring  over  to  his  interest  the  people  of 
Alexandria,  by  means  of  which  he  should  obtain  such 


PINAL    DESTRUCTION    OF   JERUSALEM.  338 

advantages  as  would  not  only  secure  himself,  but,  in  all 
probability,  crown  his  enterprize  with  success.  Egypt, 
on  account  of  the  prodigious  quantity  of  corn  which  it 
produced,  was  deemed  one  of  the  most  important  brandies 
of  the  empire :  wherefore  Vespasian  was  of  opinion  that 
if  he  could  but  possess  himself  of  that  country,  the  people 
of  Rome  might  be  induced  rather  to  expel  Vitellius,  than 
run  the  risk  of  starving  if  they  refused  so  to  do,  which 
would  be  the  natural  consequence  if  they  could  not 
obtain  proper  assistance  from  Egypt. 

These  observations  being  highly  approved  of  by  the 
officers,  Arespasian  immediately  wrote  a  letter  to  Tiberius, 
the  then  governor  of  Alexandria,  informing  him,  that  at 
the  importunity  of  his  soldiers  he  had  been  prevailed  on 
to  take  the  government  into  his  own  hands,  and  that  he 
thought  he  could  not  act  more  prudently  than  to  request 
the  favor  of  his  advice  and  assistance  in  the  office  of  ad- 
ministration. Tiberius  had  no  sooner  read  this  letter 
than,  with  the  utmost  freedom  and  good-will,  he  took  an 
oatli  of  fidelity  to  Vespasian,  and  caused  the  like  to  be 
done  by  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  city.  This  oath  was 
taken  with  every  possible  demonstration  of  joy  and 
esteem ;  for  they  were  previously  informed  of  the  good 
intentions  of  the  new  emperor,  and  confided  iu  his  virtue 
and  honor.  Tiberius  made  a  generous  use  of  the  power 
entrusted  to  him  for  the  public  welfare,  and  immediately 
began  to  make  the  necessary  preparations  for  receiving 
Vespasian. 

Intelligence  of  Vespasian's  being  advanced  to  the  dig- 
nity of  ruling  the  empire  was  propagated  with  the  utmost 
speed  through  every  part  of  the  eastern  country ;  and 
wherever  this  news  arrived,  it  was  so  grateful  to  the 
people,  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  several  cities  kept  a 
holiday  on  the  occasion,  and  offered  up  their  prayers  that 
the  reign  of  Vespasian  might  be  long  and  happy.  Several 
ambassadors,  from  Syria  and  other  provinces,  waited  on 
Vespasian,  with  congratulatory  addresses  on  his  being 
appointed  to  the  government  of  the  empire.  Among  the 
rest  was  Mucianus,  the  governor  of  Syria,  who  gave  him 
the  utmost  assurance  of  the  loyalty  and  affection  of  the 


326  AN   ACCOUNT   OF  THE 

people  in  general,  which  they  had  testified,  by  cheerfully 
taking  the  oath  of  fidelity  to  his  person  and  authority. 

These  favorable  circumstances  struck  a  deep  im- 
pression on  the  mind  of  Vespasian,  who  could  not  help 
seriously  reflecting  that  they  had  less  the  appearance  of 
being  the  work  of  chance,  than  the  immediate  effeet  of  a 
disposing  Providence;  and  he  thought  it  appeared  that 
he  had  not  been  raised  to  so  distinguished  an  elevation 
by  the  power  of  fortune,  but  by  Divine  interposition. 
Reflecting  on  this  subject  there  occurred  to  his  mind 
several  prophetical  hints  which  had  happened  in  the 
course  of  his  life,  all  tending  to  the  same  end.  Among 
the  rest  he  could  not  but  recur  to  the  circumstance  of 
Joseph,  having,  while  he  remained  a  prisoner,  and  during 
the  life  of  Nero,  called  him  by  the  title  of  emperor.  This 
singular  prediction  had  great  influence  on  the  mind  of 
Vespasian,  and  the  greater,  because  the  party,  was  still 
his  prisoner:  wherefore,  sending  for  Mucianus,  and 
others  of  his  officers,  he  spoke  to  them  of  the  singular 
courage  and  bravery  of  Joseph,  and  how  gallantly  he 
had  behaved  himself  at  the  siege  of  Jotapata.  After  this 
he  mentioned  several  other  particulars  respecting  him, 
and  at  length  adverted  to  the  subject  of  his  predictions : 
"  Those  (said  he)  I  at  first  imagined  to  be  nothing  more 
"  than  contrivances  for  his  own  preservation ;  but  the 
"  event  has  proved  that  they  were  actually  the  result  of 
"  Divine  Providence :  wherefore,  my  friends,  it  would  be 
f6  an  indelible  disgrace  in  me  longer  to  detain,  in  the 
*'  abject  condition  of  a  prisoner,  the  person  who  first  de- 
(i  clared  to  me  the  news  of  my  advancement." 

Having  said  this,  Vespasian  instantly  sent  for  Joseph, 
and,  in  the  presence  of  the  company,  restored  him  to  his 
liberty.  From  this  instance  of  gratitude  in  Vespasian,  his 
officers  formed  the  most  favorable  idea  of  their  own  situ- 
ation, thinking  that  they,  who  were  his  faithful  friends 
and  servants,  should  experience  every  indulgence  under 
so  kind  a  master.  During  this  scene  Titus  was  present, 
who,  in  a  most  submissive  manner,  hinted  to  his  father, 
that  the  single  granting  of  liberty  to  Joseph  was  leaving 
the  generosity  of  his  plan  incomplete :  that  his  chains 
ought  not  only  to  be  taken  off,  but  broken,  for  if  that  was 


FINAL    DESTRUCTION   OF   JERUSALEM.  3^7 

not  done,  the  dishonor  of  his  imprisonment  would  remain 
with  him,  though  his  person  was  restored  to  liberty. 
Vespasian^  coinciding  in  this  opinion,  gave  immediate 
orders  that  his  chains  should  he  cut  to  pieces;  which  cir- 
cumstance not  only  gave  the  most  extensive  freedom  to 
Joseph,  but  so  raised  his  reputation  as  a  prophet,  that 
every  person  was  disposed  to  give  credit  to  any  of  his 
future  predictions  in  as  full  and  ample  a  manner  as  they 
had  done  to  what  he  had  already  foretold. 

A  general  council  was  now  held  to  consider  the  most 
proper  measures  to  be  taken  in  the  then  exigency  of  af- 
fairs, in  which  it  was  resolved  that  Titus  should  prose- 
cute the  war  against  the  Jews,  and  that  Vespasian  should 
go  to  Alexandria,  and  use  such  methods  as  he  thought 
advisable  for  suppressing  the  disturbances  at  Rome,  oc- 
casioned by  the  usurper  Vitellius. 

On  Vespasian's  arrival  at  Alexandria  he  was  received 
by  the  people  of  that  city  with  the  utmost  demonstrations 
of  joy ;  and  measures  were  instantly  concerted  for  re- 
ducing Vitellius,  and  quieting  the  disturbances  which 
then  took  place  at  Rome.  For  this  purpose  he  dispatched 
a  considerable  army  of  cavalry  and  foot,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Mucianus,  through  Cappadocia  and  Phrygia, 
into  Italy,  being  afraid  to  trust  his  troops  by  sea  during 
the  winter  season. 

In  the  mean  time  Antonius  Primus  (an  excellent 
soldier  who  had  been  banished  by  Nero,  but  restored  by 
(ralba,  a  friend  to  Vespasian)  marched  at  the  head  of  the 
third  legion  to  give  battle  to  Vitellius,  the  latter  of  whom 
being  informed  of  his  intentions,  sent  a  strong  army,  un- 
der the  command  of  Ca^cinna,  to  oppose  him.  As  soon  as 
Caecinna  met  Antonius  (which  was  on  the  confines  of 
Italy)  he  was  struck  with  terror  at  the  numbers,  order 
and  discipline  of  his  army.  He  was  totally  at  a  loss  how 
to  act :  he  did  not  dare  to  risk  a  battle,  nor  could  he  think 
of  running  away  from  them;  and  therefore,  he  chose 
rather  to  be  considered  as  a  deserter  than  a  coward. 
Having  assembled  his  centurions,  tribunes,  and  all  the 
rest  of  his  officers,  he  exerted  the  utmost  power  of  his 
oratory  in  a  declaration  of  the  different  degrees  of  merit 
between  Vespasian  and  Vitellius.    The  one  he  extolled 


328  AN   ACCOUNT   OF   THE 

to  the  highest  degreee,  and  depreciated  the  character  of 
the  other;  aud  all  this  with  a  fixed  design  to  prevail  on 
the  soldiers  of  Vitellius  to  take  part  with  Vespasian. 
The  speech  he  made  on  this  occasion  was  to  this  effect : 
"  Vitellius  possesses  nothing  more  than  the  name  of  an 
"  emperor;  whereas  the  claim  of  Vespasian  is  not  only 
u  founded  on  the  strictest  equity,  but  his  very  person  is 
"  stamped  with  the  indubitable  marks  of  the  imperial 
ce  character.  Besides,  the  troops  of  Vespasian  are  so 
u  numerous  and  well-chosen,  that  it  will  be  in  vain  for 
u  us  to  think  of  entering  into  a  contest  with  him.  This 
"  being  the  case,  had  we  not  better  now  act  the  same 
u  part,  as  of  our  own  choice  and  free-will,  that  we  shall 
"  otherwise  be  compelled  to  do  through  the  force  of  mere 
e<  necessity?  While  I  say  this,  I  am  certain  that  Ves- 
<(  pasian  is  able  to  carry  his  design  into  execution  without 
"  our  aid  or  assistance;  but  Vitellius,  so  far  from  beiug 
"  able  to  protect  his  adherents,  is  by  no  means  in  a  con- 
{i  dition  to  defend  himself." 

These  arguments  were  urged  with  so  much  zeal,  that 
Csecinna  obtained  the  point  at  which  he  labored,  and 
prevailed  on  his  troops  to  go  over  to  Antonius.  But  on 
the  following  night  Csecinna's  people,  partly  repenting 
of  what  they  had  done,  and  partly  in  fear  of  the  conse- 
quence, in  case  Vitellius  should  prove  successful  in  the 
contest,  advanced  in  a  rage,  with  drawn  swords,  to  dis- 
patch C&cinna,  which  they  would  have  certainly  done, 
had  not  the  tribunes  strongly  interposed  in  his  favor. 
Hereupon,  they  desisted  from  taking  away  his  life,  but 
insisted  that,  as  a  traitor,  he  should  be  immediately  sent 
in  chains  to  Vitellius. 

As  soon  as  Antonius  was  informed  of  this  event,  he 
immediately  went  with  a  party  to  attack  them  as  desert- 
ers. For  some  time  they  made  a  faint  resistance,  but  re- 
ceded on  the  first  violent  attack,  and  lied  towards  Cremo- 
na. Antonius,  interposing  with  his  cavalry  between  the 
fugitives  and  the  town,  and  entirely  surrounding  them, 
destroyed  great  numbers  on  the  spot,  and  pursuing  the 
rest,  put  the  whole  to  the  sword,  except  their  general 
Csecinna,  whom  he  set  at  liberty,  and  dispatched  to 
Vespasian  with  an  account  of  the  victory. 


FINAL    DESTRUCTION   OF   JERUSALEM.  ~J£\i 

After  this  defeat,  Antonius  marched  with  his  army 
towards  Koine,  information  of  which  being  made  known 
to  Sabinus,  the  brother  of  Vespasian,  he  that  same  night 
assembled  the  city  guards,  and  possessed  himself  of  the 
capital.  On  the  following  day  great  numbers  of  persons, 
of  distinguished  rank,  joined  his  party,  among  whom  was 
Domitian,  brother  to  Titus,  and  younger  son  to  Ves- 
pasian. 

Vitellius  paid  little  regard  to  the  proceedings  of  An- 
tonius, the  principal  view  of  his  resentment  being  direct- 
ed towards  Sabinus,  and  the  other  persons  who  had 
joined  with  him  in  the  revolt:  and  being  by  nature  of  a 
savage  and  ferocious  disposition,  but  particularly  so  to 
those  of  distinguished  rank,  he  dispatched  a  body  of  his 
own  troops  to  attack  them.  In  this  enterprize  the  most 
singular  instances  of  bravery  were  displayed  on  both 
sides ;  but  in  the  end,  the  troops  of  Vitellius  became  vic- 
torious. Domitian,  and  other  Romans  of  the  first  rank, 
made  their  escape,  but  the  greater  part  of  the  people  were 
destroyed,  and  the  victors,  after  plundering  the  temple  of 
Janus,  burnt  it  to  the  ground.  With  respect  to  Sabinus, 
he  was  made  prisoner,  and  conducted  to  Vitellius,  who 
ordered  him  immediately  to  be  put  to  death. 

The  next  day  Antonius  arrived  with  his  army,  when  a 
desperate  battle  ensued  between  him  and  the  troops  of 
Vitellius.  The  forces  of  Antonius  being  divided,  they 
engaged  in  three  differeut  parts  of  the  city  at  the  same 
time,  and  the  contest  was  continued  for  that  day  without 
any  material  advantage  on  either  side.  Early  the  next 
morning  Mucianus  with  his  army  entered  Rome,  and 
joining  that  of  Antonius,  the  attack  was  renewed  with 
the  utmost  vigor,  and  the  troops  of  Vitellius  being  de- 
feated were  all  put  to  the  sword. 

Thus  was  this  mighty  city  taken,  by  her  own  natural 
subjects ;  and  as  it  was  fatal  to  many  thousands,  so  like- 
wise was  it  to  Vitellius  himself,  whom  the  soldiers 
dragged  out  of  his  palace,  (and  without  hearkening  co 
any  entreaties,  binding  his  hands  behind  him,  and  throw- 
ing an  halter  about  his  neck)  drew  him  into  the  public 
forum,  through  the  main  street  called  Via  Sacra.  As  he 
weut  along  they  used  the  most  opprobrious  language,  and 

vol.  iv.        T  T 


330  AN   ACCOUNT   01'   Tilt, 

treated  him  with  the  greatest  indignity  they  could  project  i 
they  pelted  him  with  dung  and  filth,  and  held  the  point 
of  a  sword  under  his  chin  to  prevent  his  concealing  his 
face.  At  length  they  conducted  him  to  the  common  place 
of  execution,  where,  with  many  blows  and  wounds,  they 
dispatched  him  in  the  56th  year  of  his  age,  and  after  a 
short  reign  of  only  eight  months.  Having  wreaked  their 
vengeance  thus,  they  dragged  his  body  from  the  spot 
where  they  had  killed  him,  and  threw  it  into  the  river 
Tiber ;  after  which  they  not  only  made  his  brother,  and 
only  son,  but  likewise  all  whom  they  met  with  of  his 
party,  victims  to  their  resentment. 

As  soon  as  the  fury  of  this  carnage  was  over,  the  Ro- 
man senate  assembled,  and,  with  unanimous  consent,  not 
only  declared  Vespasian  emperor,  but  conferred  the  title 
of  Caesar  upon  his  two  sons,  Titus  and  Domitian ;  nomi- 
nating the  former  to  be  consul  with  his  father  for  the  en- 
suing year,  and  the  latter  to  be  praetor  with  consular 
power.  They  likewise  rewarded  Mucianus  and  Anto- 
nius,  with  several  others,  for  contributing  to  this  happy 
revolution;  and  dispatched  couriers  to  Vespasian  at  Al- 
exandria, to  tender  him  their  homage  and  obedience,  and 
to  desire  his  speedy  return  to  Rome.  On  this  occasion 
the  people  made  two  festivals,  one  for  their  deliverance 
from  the  tyranny  of  Vitellius,  and  the  other  for  the  hap- 
py advancement  of  Vespasian  to  the  government  of  the 
empire. — But  it  is  now  time  to  return  to  Titus. 

Before  Vespasian  left  Judea,  he,  by  the  advice  of  his 
council,  committed  the  management  of  the  war  against 
the  Jews  to  his  son  Titus,  well  knowing  his  extraordina- 
ry valor  and  skill  for  such  an  undertaking.  Himself  had 
reduced  most  of  the  country,  except  Jerusalem;  but  Je- 
rusalem was  the  capital  city,  fortified  with  three  walls  on 
every  side,  except  where  it  was  fenced  with  deep  vallies, 
having  the  castle  of  Antonia,  the  temple,  the  palace  of 
Acra,  the  towers  on  Mount  Sion,  and  several  other  places 
almost  impregnable;  so  that  great  consultation,  and  a 
preparation  of  many  materials,  were  required  to  carry  on 
such  a  wege. 

The  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  had  been,  for  a  long  time, 
in  the  most  distressed  situation,  owing  to  the  several  par- 


FINAL  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.      331 

tics  and  factions  which  had  taken  possession  of  different 
parts  of  the  city,  and  were  not  only  murdering  each  other, 
but,  in  their  rage  and  madness,  destroyed  such  a  quantity 
of  provisions  as  might  have  served  the  city  for  several 
mouths. 

Jerusalem  was  involved  in  these  sad  circumstances, 
when  Titus,  with  a  powerful  army,  and  all  kinds  of  war- 
like engines  approached,  and  sat  down  within  six  or 
seven  furlongs  of  the  city,  a  little  before  the  feast  of  the 
passover.  By  these  means  he  shut  up  an  infinite  number 
of  people  who  had  come  from  all  parts  to  that  solemnity, 
which,  in  a  short  time,  occasioned  a  great  consumption  of 
their  provisions. 

On  the  first  appearance  of  so  formidable  an  army,  the 
several  factions  unanimously  agreed  to  oppose  it;  iu  con- 
sequence of  which  they  sallied  out  with  great  resolution 
and  fury,  and  putting  the  Romans  to  disorder,  obliged 
them  to  abandon  their  camp,  and  fly  to  the  mountains. 
jBut  the  Jews  were  at  last  repulsed,  and  driven  into  the 
city  by  Titus,  who  particularly  distinguished  Jiimself  as 
a  courageous  and  expert  warrior. 

When  Titus  had  properly  placed  his  engines  (which 
was  not  done  without  great  opposition)  he  battered  the 
outward  walls,  and,  on  the  third  day  of  May,  making  a 
breach,  entered,  and  took  possession  of  the  northern 
quarter  of  the  city,  as  far  as  the  castle  of  Antonia,  and 
the  valley  of  Kedron.  Having  done  this,  he  gave  the  be- 
sieged all  possible  assurances  of  pardon  and  civil  treat- 
ment if  they  would  but  submit;  but  they  judging  his 
offer  to  be  the  effect  of  cowardice,  refused  to  accept  of 
any  terms  or  conditions  whatever. 

On  the  fifth  day  after  this  Titus  broke  through  the 
second  wall,  and  though  the  besieged  made  several 
sallies,  and  drove  him  out  again,  yet  lie  recovered  the 
place,  and  possessed  himself  of  the  lower  city. 

Though  Titus  was  now  thoroughly  convinced,  in  hi* 
own  mind,  that  he  could  by  force  of  arms,  easily  make  a 
complete  conquest  of  the  city,  yet  he  was  willing,  if 
possible,  to  effect  it  without  any  farther  loss  of  blood.  He 
therefore,  in  the  first  place,  sent  a  messenger  to  the  Jews, 
requesting  that  they  would  have  so  much  regard  to  their 


338  AN    ACCOUNT    OF   THifc 

own  interest  as  to  surrender  a  place,  of  which  he  could, 
at  any  time,  make  himself  master.  But  this  not  answer- 
ing his  wishes,  he  dispatched  Joseph  to  them,  thinking 
that  when  they  Mere  addressed  by  their  own  countrymen, 
and  in  a  language  familiar  to  them,  it  might  probably  be 
attended  with  success.  In  conformity  to  the  directions 
given  by  Titus,  Joseph  first  walked  through  several 
parts  of  the  city,  after  which,  stopping  on  an  elevated 
spot,  within  the  hearing  of  the  enemy,  he  addressed  them 
in  words  to  this  effect:  "  Countrymen  and  friends,  it  is 
ii  my  earnest  request,  that  if  you  have  any  esteem  for 
"  your  lives  and  liberties,  any  veneration  for  your  city, 
"  your  temple  and  your  country,  you  will,  on  the  present 
6i  occasion,  give  a  proper  testimony  of  your  sensibility,  and 
"  learn,  even  from  strangers  and  enemies,  to  have  a  proper 
"  regard  to  your  own  interest.  You  may  have  observed, 
"  that  the  Romans  entertain  so  great  a  veneration  for 
66  sacred  things,  that  they  make  a  scruple  of  seizing  any 
"  thing  that  is  holy;  and  this  they  do,  though  they  never 
"  presumed  to  have  any  share,  concern  or  interest  in  your 
ii  communion:  whereas  you,  on  the  contrary,  instead  of 
u  protecting  the  religion  in  which  you  were  educated, 
(i  seem  conspiring  to  complete  its  destruction.  Are  you 
i(  not  by  this  time  convinced  that,  your  fortresses  being 
6i  beaten  down,  and  a  great  part  of  your  walls  left  in  a 
"  defenceless  condition,  your  weakness  is  sufficiently  ex- 
u  posed,  and  that  it  is  an  absolute  impossibility  to  sup- 
(i  port  yourselves  much  longer  against  so  formidable  a 
u  power  as  that  with  which  you  have  to  contend.  It  is 
"  true,  that  engaging  in  the  cause  of  liberty  is  a  glorious 
"  task,  provided  it  be  undertaken  before  that  liberty  is 
u  likely  to  be  lost  or  forfeited ;  but  when  the  latter  is  the 
u  case,  it  is  idle  to  think  of  attempting  to  throw  it  off, 
a  and  all  further  endeavors  will  rather  tend  to  produce 
"  a  disgraceful  death,  than  give  the  opportunity  of  pre- 
u  serving  a  life  of  honorable  freedom.  A  state  of  bondage 
(<  to  a  master  whom  a  man  of  honor  would  blush  to  ac- 
u  knowledge  his  superior,  is  indeed  a  scandalous  state; 
"  but  submission  to  a  people  whose  authority  is  ac- 
"  knowledged  by  the  whole  world,  is  by  no  means  dis- 
f  graceful.   Conscious  of  this  truth,  your  ancestors,  who 


FINAL  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.       333 

*'•  were  more  wise  and  powerful  than  you  arc,  were  in- 
'•'  dated  to  pay  allegiance  to  the  Romans,  which  tliry 
*•  certainly  would  not  have  done  had  they  not  been  fully 
"  convinced  that  it  was  the  will  of  Providence  they 
"  should  submit.  But  wherefore  would  you  any  longer 
u  continue  a  contest  that  is,  in  effect,  already  decided? 
"  For  if  your  walls  were  yet  perfect,  and  the  siege  ac- 
"  tually  raised,  so  long  as  the  Romans  resolved  not  to 
"  quit  the  place,  you  must  soon  be  starved  into  sub- 
"  mission.  Famine  has  already  made  great  havoc  among 
"  you,  and  the  calamity  will  daily  encrease,  as  there  is 
"  no  guarding  against  the  consequeuce  of  the  severities 
"  of  hunger.  It  will  therefore  well  become  you  to  recol- 
"  lect  yourselves,  and  take  advice  while  it  may  be  ser- 
"  viceable  to  you.  The  Romans  are  of  a  liberal  disposi- 
"  tion,  and  will  be  ready  to  forgive  all  that  is  past,  if  you 
"  do  not  continue  to  exasperate  them  till  forgiveness 
"  would  look  like  weakness.  But  if  you  resist  till  they 
"  storm  the  city,  instead  of  mercy,  you  will  fatally  ex- 
"  perienee  their  resentment  from  the  point  of  the  sword." 

These  friendly  admonitions  made  not  the  least  im- 
pression on  the  perverse  Jews,  who  instead  of  paying  at- 
tention to  them,  treated  Joseph  with  the  utmost  contempt, 
and,  had  he  not  been  properly  guarded,  would  have  put 
him  to  death.  In  consequence  of  this,  Titus  resolved  to 
proceed  with  the  utmost  severity  against  them.  According- 
ly, when  any  fled  from  the  city  (which  great  numbers 
were  constraiued  to  do  on  account  of  the  want  of  pro- 
visions) they  were  no  sooner  taken  than  Titus  ordered 
them  to  be  scourged  and  crucified.  This,  however,  he  did 
not  do  from  motives  of  cruelty,  but  with  a  view  of  striking 
terror  in  the  multitude,  in  hopes  that  they  would  the 
sooner  give  up  all  opposition,  and  surrender  themselves 
to  the  superior  force  of  his  arms. 

Finding  every  method  ineffectual  to  bring  the  Jews  to 
submission,  Titus,  on  the  12th  of  May,  began  four  mounts 
for  his  battering-rams,  two  near  the  castle  of  Antonia, 
where  he  was  in  hopes  of  taking  the  temple,  and  two  near 
the  monument  of  John  the  high-priest,  where  he  supposed 
he,  might,  without  much  difficulty,  break  into  the  upper 
city.  But  in  two  bold  sallies  the  besieged  ruined  and  de- 


2St  AN   ACCOUNT   OP  THE 

stroyed  the  mounts,  and,  having  burnt  several  battering- 
rams,  and  other  engines,  pressed  forward,  and  broke  into 
the  very  camp  of  the  Romans.  At  length  they  were  re- 
pulsed by  Titus,  who  (in  a  council  of  war)  resolved  to 
surround  the  whole  city  with  a  wall,  or  intrenchment,  to 
hinder  the  flight  of  the  besieged,  and  to  prevent  all  relief 
from  coming  into  the  city,  thereby  strictly  verifying  the 
words  of  our  Blessed  Redeemer,  The  days  shall  come 
upon  thee,  that  thine  enemies  shall  cast  a  trench  about 
thee  and  compass  thee  around,  and  keep  thee  in  on  every 
side,  Luke  xix.  43. 

This  work  was  executed  with  such  astonishing  celerity, 
that  the  whole  was  finished  within  the  space  of  a  few 
days.  But  it  made  no  impression  on  the  besieged,  not- 
withstanding the  famine  began  to  rage  with  the  most 
horrid  violence,  and  such  a  mortality  ensued,  that  within 
the  space  of  three  months  no  less  than  115,080  carcases  of 
the  poorer  sort  were  carried  to  be  buried  at  the  public 
charge,  600,000  were  thrown  out  at  the  gates ;  and  when 
the  number  of  dead  bodies  increased  to  such  a  degree  that 
they  had  no  place  to  bury  themj  they  gathered  them  to- 
gether in  the  largest  houses  adjoining,  and  there  shut 
them  up. 

All  this  time  the  famine  increased  to  such  a  degree, 
that  wives  took  the  meat  out  of  their  husbands'  mouths, 
children  from  their  parents,  and  mothers  from  their 
children :  old  men  were  driven  from  their  meat  as  per- 
sons of  no  use,  and  young  men  tortured  to  confess  where 
their  provisions  lay ;  sinks  and  holes  were  continually 
raked  to  find  oifal  for  food,  and  the  very  soldiers  (who 
were  the  last  that  would  want)  began  to  eat  girdles, 
shoes,  hay  and  other  articles ;  and,  what  was  worst  of  all, 
and  the  most  shocking  to  human  nature,  a  woman  of 
quality  even  boiled  her  own  child  with  an  intent  to  eat  it. 
This  act  appeared  so  detestable  in  the  eyes  of  Titus, 
that  (after  having  repeatedly  offered  peace  and  pardon  to 
the  Jews  if  they  would  submit,  and  as  often  received  a 
denial)  he  publicly  declared  "  that  he  would  bury  the 
"  abominable  crime  in  the  ruins  of  their  country,  and  not 
"  suffer  the  sun  to  shine  upon  that  city,  whose  mothers 
•'•'  eat  their  own  children,  and  whose  fathers,  no  less  cul- 


FINAL   DESTRUCTION    OF   JERUSALEM.  335 

u  pable,  did,  by  their  obstinacy,  reduce  them  to  such  an 
•*  extremity." 

With  this  resolution  he  ordered  all  the  groves  to  be  cut 
down  within  a  considerable  distance  of  the  city,  and 
causing  more  mounts  to  be  raised,  on  the  first  of  July  he 
began  to  batter  the  wall  of  Antonia,  and,  on  the  fifth, 
entered  the  castle  by  force,  and  pursued  the  flying  Jews 
even  to  the  temple.  Both  Titus  and  Josephus  again  ex- 
horted them  to  surrender,  but  all  to  no  purpose:  they 
absolutely  refused  every  accommodation,  and  even  boast- 
ed, tiiat,  rather  than  submit,  they  would  glory  in  enduriug 
the  worst  of  miseries.  Titus,  hearing  this,  in  order  to 
make  an  easy  ascent  to  the  temple,  ordered  the  fortress 
of  Antonia  to  be  razed  to  the  ground,  and  having  seized 
the  north  and  west  porticos,  or  cloysters,  of  the  outward 
range  of  the  temple,  he  set  them  on  fire,  as  the  Jews  did. 
other  porticos,  to  hinder  the  Romans  from  making  their 
approaches. 

On  the  eighth  day  of  August  Titus,  perceiving  that  the 
walls  of  the  inner  temple  were  too  strong  for  the  batter- 
ing-rams, and  that  the  foundation  of  the  gates  could  not 
be  undermined,  was  obliged  to  set  fire  to  them,  yet  still 
with  an  inteut,  if  possible,  to  save  the  temple  itself;  but 
it  so  fell  out  that,  on  the  tenth,  a  certain  soldier,  contrary 
to  the  command  of  the  general,  cast  a  flaming  firebrand 
through  the  golden  window  into  the  chambers  and  build- 
ings on  the  north  side,  which  immediately  set  thein  on 
fire.  The  utmost  endeavors  were  used  to  prevent  the  fatal 
effects  of  this  proceeding,  but  to  no  purpose.  The  flames 
spread  throughout  the  whole  fabric,  and  soon  consumed 
the  most  beautiful  structure  that  ever  was  erected;  while 
the  Roman  soldiers,  pursuing  their  victory  with  the  most 
imaginable  fury  and  revenge,  cut  to  pieces  every  person 
they  found  about  the  temple,  and  then  set  fire  to  the  rest 
of  the  buildings. 

During  this  state  of  general  confusion,  those  who  were 
the  chiefs  in  the  sedition,  found  means  to  retire  to  the 
upper  and  strongest  part  of  the  city,  called  Sion,  situated 
upon  a  steep  rock,  where  they  endeavored  to  defend 
themselves  to  the  last.  But  Titus,  having  raised  his  bat- 
teries, and  made  a  breach  in  the  wall,  they  lost  all  their 


836  AN   ACCOUNT   OF  THE 

courage,  abandoned  the  towers,  which  were  their  only 
strength,  and  in  vain  sought  to  escape  by  hiding  them- 
selves in  vaults  and  privies,  from  whence  both  John* 
and  Simon  (two  principal  ringleaders  of  their  different 
factions)  were  dragged  out,  and  the  former  condemned  to 
perpetual  imprisonment,  whilst  the  latter  was  preserved 
to  grace  the  victor's  triumph. 

The  Romans,  having  now  gained  the  walls,  and,  with 
shouts  of  joy,  placed  their  colors  upon  the  towers,  broke 
loose  all  over  the  city,  and  ranged  up  and  down  the 
streets,  killing  all  that  fell  in  their  way  without  distinc- 
tion, till  the  passages  were  filled  up  with  the  carcases, 
and  the  channels  of  the  city  ran  down  with  blood,  as  if 
it  had  been  to  quench  the  fire,  which  was  become,  as  it 
were,  one  general  conflagration. 

To  this  fatal  end  was  the  famous  city  of  Jerusalem, 
after  a  siege  of  above  five  months,  reduced,  in  the  second 
year  of  Vespasian's  reign,  and  thirty-eight  years  after 
our  Lord's  crucifixion.  In  this  siege  it  was  computed 
that  1,100,000  perished,  and  97>000  were  taken  captives, 
besides  837,490  (according  to  Josephus)  who  fell  in  the 
wars  which  preceded  it. 

The  greater  part  of  the  buildings  in  the  city  being 
consumed  by  fire,  and  the  soldiers  having  neither  rapine 
or  object  left  for  their  rage  and  indignation  to  work  upon, 
Titus  ordered  them  to  lay  the  remaining  parts  of  the  city 

*  This  John  was  the  son  of  one  Levi,  and  one  of  the  principal 
men  belonging  to  the  city  of  Grichala.  When  Titns  laid  siege  to 
that  place,  John,  under  pretence  of  surrendering  it,  made  his  escape, 
and  went,  with  a  party  of  men,  to  Jerusalem,  where,  joining  with 
the  Zealots,  and  being  naturally  a  crafty  man,  eloquent  in  speech, 
and  ambitious  beyond  measure,  he  soon  began  to  assume  a  sovereign 
power  over  the  rest,  and  became  the  commander  of  one  faction,  as 
Simon,  the  son  of  Gioras,  did  of  another.  Simon,  having  gathered 
together  great  numbers  of  robbers  and  murderers,  went  into  the 
mountainous  parts  of  the  country,  reduced  all  Idumea,  and  some 
places  in  Judea;  after  which  he  encamped  near  Jerusalem,  and  was 
at  length  let  in  by  the  citizens  to  defend  them  against  John,  who, 
at  the  head  of  the  Zealots,  did  many  cruel  and  tyrannical  actions. 
So  lhat  Simon  and  his  army  were  in  the  city,  while  John  and  his 
adherents  were  in  the  temple,  fighting  and  destroying  one  auother, 
even  while  the  enemy  was  at  the  walls. 


FINAL    DESTRUCTION   OF   JERUSALEM.  837 

and  temple  level  with  the  ground:  "which  order  was  so 
punctually  executed  that  (except  three  towers,  which,  for 
their  strength  and  beauty,  were  left  as  monuments  to  pos- 
terity of  the  once  magnificence  of  the  city)  the  whole  was 
laid  so  flat,  that,  when  the  Romans  left  the  place,  it 
looked  as  if  it  had  never  been  inhabited. 

While  these  things  were  transacting  at  Jerusalem, 
Vespasian,  who  entered  upon  the  government  in  the  59th 
year  of  his  age,  was  received  at  Rome  with  all  imagina- 
ble joy  and  triumph  by  the  people.  They  considered  him 
as  the  only  person  whose  virtues  and  excellencies  could 
recover  the  languishing  state  of  the  empire:  nor  were 
they  mistaken,  for  he  began  immediately  to  act  in  con- 
formity to  what  they  had  expected,  by  administering 
justice,  and  reforming  the  laws  and  customs  of  Rome, 
honorably  rewarding  those  who  had  served  him,  and  par- 
doning his  adversaries  with  the  most  singular  clemency. 

In  the  mean  time  the  news  of  the  conquest  of  Jerusa- 
lem reached  Home,  which  occasioned  the  greatest  re- 
joicings in  that  city,  the  people  universally  proclaiming 
the  praises  of  Titus,  who  had  shewn  himself  so  expert  a 
soldier  and  commander;  and  in  consequence  of  this  a 
triumph  was  decreed  both  for  him  and  his  father,  the 
latter  having  conducted  the  beginning  of  the  war  with  no 
less  eclat  than  the  former  had  finished  it. 

When  Titus  returned  to  Rome  he  was  received  witk 
the  universal  applause  of  the  people,  and,  within  a  few 
days  after,  both  the  father  and  son  entered  upon  their 
triumph,  which  was  more  solemn  and  magnificent  than 
had  ever  before  been  seen  in  Rome.  Among  other  rich 
and  glorious  spoils  were  great  quantities  of  gold  taken  out 
of  the  temple,  and  the  body  of  the  Jewish  law,  which 
were  exhibited  to  the  view  of  the  people.  This  was  the 
first  time  that  Rome  ever  saw  the  father  and  son  triumph 
together;  and  as  Vespasian  built  a  new  temple  to  Peace, 
wherein  he  deposited  most  of  the  Jewish  spoils,  so  Titus 
had  a  triumphal  arch  of  great  beauty  and  magnificence 
erected  to  his  honor,  whereon  were  inscribed  all  his  noble 
exploits  against  the  Jews,  and  which  (as  a  lasting  monu- 
meut  of  the  impiety  and  perverseness  of  that  nation)  re- 
mains almost  entire  to  this  day, 

vol.  iv.        U  v 


338  PROPHECIES    OF   OUR    SAVIOUR 

With  respect  to  Joseph,  (or  Josephus)  after  the  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem,  Titus  took  him  with  him  to  Rome, 
where  Vespasian  shewed  him  great  respect,  and  (as  him- 
self tells  us  in  his  life)  lodged  him  in  his  own  house, 
made  him  a  free  citizen  of  Rome,  assigned  him  a  pen- 
sion, gave  him  lands  in  Judea,  and  above  all,  ordered  him 
a  public  statue.  These  favors  Titus,  when  he  came  to  the 
empire,  increased,  and,  in  honor  of  him,  had  his  History 
of  the  Wars  of  the  Jews,*  which  was  then  finished,  de- 
posited in  the  public  library. 

Such  was  the  end  of  the  once  famous  city  of  Jerusalem, 
and  such  the  end  of  the  Jewish  polity ;  from  which  time 
those  obstinate  and  perverse  people  were  no  longer  a  na- 
tion, but  have  ever  since  been  dispersed  and  despised 
throughout  the  whole  face  of  the  earth. 


CHAP.  VI. 

Containing  some  general  Observations  on  flie  strict  Fulfilment 
of  our  Blessed  Saviour's  Prophecies  relative  to  the  Destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem,  and  thejinal  End  of  the  Jewish  Polity, 

AS  our  Blessed  Saviour  had  long  been  the  great 
object  of  prophecy,  so  likewise  was  he  a  most  illustrious 
prophet  himself;  as  he  excelled  in  all  other  spiritual  gifts 
and  graces,  so  was  he  eminent  also,  and  gave  ample  proof 
of  his  Divine  commission  by  his  prophecies  as  well  as  his 

*  This  History  is  a  continued  account  of  the  Jewish  affairs,  from 
the  taking  of  Jerusalem  hy  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  down  to  the  utter 
ruin  of  it  by  Titus;  but  the  most  considerable  and  valuable  part  of  it 
is  that  of  the  six  last  years,  where  he  describes  the  last  Jewish  wars, 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  miseries  of  his  countrymen,  in 
the  most  lively  and  affecting  manner.  Besides  this,  Josephus  wrote 
another  history,  entitled,  The  Antiquities  of  the  Jews,  which  was 
finished  in  the  13th  year  of  Doraitian,  and  a  great  part  of  which  is 
taken  from  the  books  of  the  Old  Testament.  lie  likewise  wrote  an 
account  of  his  own  life,  two  treatises  against  Apion,  and  one  con- 
cerning the  martyrdom  of  the  Maccabees,  which  Erasmus  justly 
stiles  a  master-piece  of  its  kind. 


CONCERNING    THE    DESTRUCTION    OF   JERUSALEM.     339 

miracles.  J[c  foretold  not  only  his  own  passion,  death 
and  resurrection,  but  also  the  manner  and  circumstances 
that  attended  them.  He  foretold  that  his  apostles  should 
be  endowed  with  power  from  on  high  to  speak  with  new 
tongues,  and  to  work  miracles;  that  they  should  £0  forth 
into  all  nations,  and  publish  the  glad  tidings  of  the  (iospel 
unto  the  different  parts  of  the  earth,  lie  foretold  the  per- 
secutions and  sufferings  which  his  disciples  should  un- 
dergo, as  also  the  rejection  of  the  Jews,  and  the  calling  of 
the  Gentiles:  that  the  number  of  his  disciples,  from  small 
beginnings,  should  increase  wonderfully,  as  a  little  seed 
growetli  into  a  tree,  and  a  little  leaven  leaveneth  the 
whole  lump;  and  that  his  church  should  be  so  founded 
upon  a  rock,  that  it  should  stanu  for  ever,  and  all  the 
powers  of  hell  should  not  prevail  against  it.  At  the  time 
these  prophecies  were  delivered,  most  of  them  appeared 
contrary  to  all  human  apprehension,  and  were  certainly 
impossible  to  be  foreseen  by  human  prudence,  or  effected 
hy  human  power;  and  he  must  be  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  the  hearts  of  men,  and  with  the  direction  and  dispo- 
sition of  future  events,  who  could  foretel  them  with  such 
certainty  and  exactness. 

But  none  of  our  Saviour's  prophecies  are  more  remark- 
able than  those  relating  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
which  were  delivered  above  forty  years  before  they  were 
to  take  effect;  and  as  no  prophecies  whatever  were  more 
punctually  fulfilled,  so  they  claim  our  most  serious  atten- 
tion, being  a  thorough  confirmation  of  what  has  been  before 
asserted,  as  well  as  an  undeniable  testimony  of  the  truth 
of  Divine  revelation. 

In  particularizing  the  most  material  passages  wherein 
our  Blessed  Lord  predicted  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
and  the  final  overthrow  of  the  Jewish  polity,  we  shall  be- 
gin with  the  followiug  :  And  when  ye  shall  see  Jerusalem 
compassed  with  armies,  then  know  that  the  desolation 
thereof  is  nigh.  Then  let  them  which  are  in  Judeaflee  to 
the  Mountains.  Luke  xxi.  SO,  21.  This,  saith  our  Blessed 
Saviour,  is  the  abomination  of  desolation,  spoken  of  by 
Daniel  the  prophet,  in  the  ninth  and  eleventh  chapters. 
The  Roman  army  is  called  the  abomination,  on  account 
of  its  ensigns  and  images  being  highly  offensive  to  the 


310  PROPHECIES    OF    OUR    SAVIOUR 

Jews.  St.  Chrysostom  informs  us  that  every  idol,  and 
every  image  of  a  man,  was  called  an  abomination  among 
the  Jews.  For  this  reason  (as  Josephus  informs  us)  the 
principal  Jews  earnestly  entreated  Vitellius,  governor  of 
Syria,  when  he  was  conducting  his  army  through  Judea 
against  Aretas  king  of  the  Arabians,  to  lead  it  another 
way;  and  he  greatly  obliged  them  by  complying  with 
their  request.  We  farther  learn  from  Josephus,  that  after 
Jerusalem  was  taken,  the  Romans  placed  their  ensigns 
on  the  ruins  of  the  temple,  opposite  the  eastern  gate,  and 
there  sacrificed  to  them.  The  Roman  army  is,  therefore, 
properly  called  the  abomination,  and  the  abomination  of 
desolation,  as  it  was  to  desolate  and  lay  waste  Jerusalem ; 
and  this  army  is  called  by  St.  Matthew  standing  in  the 
holy  place,  the  city,  and  such  a  compass  of  ground  about 
it,  being  accounted  holy. 

When,  therefore  (according  to  the  prophecy)  the  Ro- 
man army  shall  advance  to  besiege  Jerusalem,  then  let 
those  who  are  in  Judea  consult  their  own  safety,  and  fly 
into  the  mountains.  This  counsel  was  wisely  remembered, 
and  afterwards  put  in  practice  by  the  Christians.  When 
Cestius  Gallus  went  with  his  army  against  Jerusalem, 
great  numbers  of  people  imagining  it  would  soon  be 
taken,  fled  from  the  city ;  and  when  Vespasian  was  draw- 
ing his  forces  towards  Jerusalem,  a  prodigious  multitude 
fled  from  Jericho  into  the  mountainous  country  for 
security.  It  is  probable  there  were  some  Christians  among 
these ;  but  we  learn  most  certainly  from  ecclesiastical  his- 
torians, that  all  who  believed  in  Christ  then  left  Jerusa- 
lem, and  removed  to  Pella,  and  other  places  beyond  the 
river  Jordan;  so  that  they  all  marvellously  escaped  the 
general  destruction  of  their  country.  Of  such  a  signal 
service  was  this  caution  of  our  Blessed  Saviour  to  true 
believers. 

After  this  our  Lord  prosecutes  the  subject  in  these 
words :  Let  him  -which  is  on  the  house  top  not  come  down 
to  take  any  thing  out  of  his  house,  Mark  xiii.  17-  The 
houses  of  the  Jews,  as  well  as  those  of  the  ancient  Greeks 
and  Romans,  were  flat  on  the  top  for  them  to  walk  upon ; 
and  had  usually  stairs  on  the  outside,  by  which  they 
might  ascend  and  descend  without  coming  into  the  house. 


CONCERNING  THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.   -ill 

In  the  eastern  walled  cities  these  flat  roofed  houses  usual- 
ly formed  continued  terraces  from  one  end  of  the  city  to 
the  other,  which  terraces  terminated  at  the  gates.  lie 
therefore  who  is  walking  and  regaling  himself,  let  him 
not  come  down  to  take  any  thing  out  of  his  house;  but  let 
him  pursue  his  course  along  the  tops  of  the  houses,  and 
escape  out  of  the  city  gate  as  fast  as  he  possibly  can. 
Neither  let  him  that  is  in  the  field  return  back  to  take  his 
clothes,  verse  18.  Our  Saviour  makes  use  of  these  ex- 
pressions to  intimate  that  their  flight  must  be  very  sudden ; 
and  the  Christians  escaping  just  as  they  did  was  the  more 
providential,  because  afterwards  all  means  of  getting  out 
of  the  city  was  prevented. 

And  woe  unto  them  that  are  with  child,  and  unto  them 
that  give  suck  in  those  days,  Mark  xiii.  19.  For  neither 
will  such  persons  be  in  a  condition  to  fly,  neither  will  they 
well  be  able  to  endure  the  distress  and  hardships  of  a 
siege.  This  woe  was  sufficiently  fulfilled  in  the  cruel 
slaughters  which  were  made  both  of  the  women  and 
children,  and  particularly  in  that  grievous  famine  which 
so  miserably  afflicted  Jerusalem  during  the  siege.  The 
circumstance  of  the  woman's  boiling  her  own  child  for  sus- 
tenance (as  mentioned  in  the  last  chapter)  struck  a  general 
horror  among  the  people,  and  they  were  pronounced 
blessed  who  died  before  they  had  heard  or  seen  such 
great  evils.  So  true  also  was  what  our  Saviour  declared 
ou  another  occasion,  when  the  women  were  bewailing, 
and  lamenting  him,  as  he  was  led  to  execution  :  Daughters 
of  Jerusalem,  iceep  not  for  me,  but  weep  for  yourselves, 
and  for  your  children.  For  behold,  the  days  are  coming, 
in  the  which  they  shall  say,  Blessed  are  the  barren,  and 
the  wombs  that  never  bare,  and  the  yaps  which  never 
gave  suck.  Then  shall  they  begin  to  say  to  the  mountains, 
Fall  on  us,  and  to  the  hills,  Cover  us,  Luke  xxiii.  28,  &c. 
These  were  proverbial  expressions  to  signify  their  desire 
of  any  shelter  or  refuge;  and  so  very  desirous  were  they 
of  hiding  themselves,  that  some  thousands  of  them  crept 
into  the  common  sewers,  and  there  miserably  perished,  or 
were  dragged  out  to  slaughter. 

Our  Blessed  Lord  having  warned  his  disciples  to  fly  as 
,soon  as  they  saw  Jerusalem  besieged  by  the  Romans, 


MB  PROPHECIES   OF  OUR   SAVIOUR 

next  assigns  the  reason  for  liis  giving  them  this  caution : 
For  then  shall  he  great  tribulation,  such  as  was  not  from 
the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this  time,  no,  nor  ever  shall 
be,  Matth.  xxiv.  21.  Indeed,  all  history  cannot  furnish 
us  with  a  parallel  to  the  calamities  and  miseries  of  the 
Jews ;  rapine  and  murder,  famine  and  pestilence  within ; 
fire  and  sword,  and  all  the  terrors  of  war,  without.  Our 
Saviour  wept  at  the  foresight  of  these  calamities,  and  it 
is  almost  impossible  for  persons  of  any  humanity  to  read 
the  relation  of  them  without  being  so  affected,  as  to  weep 
likewise. 

The  reason  assigned  by  St.  Luke  for  our  Lord's 
cautioning  his  disciples  to  fly  when  they  should  see  Jeru- 
salem besieged  by  the  Romans,  is  expressed  in  these 
words :  For  these  be  the  clays  of  vengeance,  that  all  things 
which  are  written  may  be  fulfilled,  Luke  xxi.  22.  These 
be  the  days  of  vengeance,  wherein  the  calamities  foretold 
by  Moses,  Joel,  Daniel  and  other  prophets,  as  well  as 
those  predicted  by  our  Saviour,  shall  meet  as  in  one  com- 
mon centre,  and  be  fulfilled  with  aggravation  on  this  gen- 
eration. The  words,  These  be  the  days  of  vengeance, 
may  be  likewise  taken  in  another  sense,  as  if  the  Divine 
vengeance  had  certain  periods  and  revolutions,  and  the 
same  days  were  fatal  to  the  Jews,  and  destined  to  their 
destruction;  for  it  is  very  memorable,  and  matter  of  just 
admiration,  that  (according  to  Josephus)  the  temple  was 
burnt  by  the  Romans  on  the  very  same  day  of  the  month 
as  it  had  been  before  by  the  Babylonians. 

The  calamities  during  the  siege  were  so  severe  that, 
like  fire,  they  must,  in  time,  have  consumed  all,  and  left 
nothing  for  themselves  to  do.  And  except  those  days 
should  be  shortened,  there  should  no  flesh  be  saved.  If 
these  wars  and  desolations  were  to  continue,  none  of  the 
Jews  would  escape  destruction,  but  would  be  all  cut  off, 
root  and  branch.  If  the  Romans  had  gone  on  with  their 
persecution,  the  whole  nation  of  the  Jews  would  certain- 
ly, in  a  little  time,  have  been  extirpated.  But  for  the 
elect's  sake  (that  is,  for  the  sake  of  the  Christian  Jews) 
whom  he  hath  chosen,  the  Lord  hath  shortened  the  days, 
Mark  xiii.  20.  The  elect  is  a  well  known  appellation  in 
scripture    and   antiquity   for  the   Christians;    and    the 


CONCERNING  THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.  313 

Christian  Jews,  partly  through  the  fury  of  the  Zealots  on 
one  hand,  and  the  hatred  of  the  Romans  on  the  other,  and 
partly  through  the  difficulty  of  subsisting  in  the  mountains 
without  houses  or  provisions,  would,  in  all  probability, 
have  been  almost  all  destroyed,  either  by  the  sword  or  by 
famine,  if  the  days  had  not  been  shortened. 

I5ut  providentially  the  days  were  shortened.  Titus 
himself  was  desirous  of  putting  a  speedy  end  to  the 
siege,  having  Rome,  and  the  riches  and  the  pleasures 
there,  before  his  eyes.  The  besieged,  too,  helped  to 
shorten  the  days  by  their  divisions  and  mutual  slaughters, 
and  by  fatally  deserting  their  strongest  holds,  where  they 
could  never  have  been  taken  by  force,  but  by  famine 
alone.  By  these  means  the  days  were  shortened ;  and  in- 
deed otherwise  Jerusalem  could  never  have  been  taken 
iu  so  short  a  time,  so  well  fortified  as  it  Avas,  and  so  well 
fitted  to  sustain  a  longer  siege.  The  enemy  without 
could  hardly  ever  have  prevailed  but  for  the  factions  and 
seditions  within.  Titus  himself  could  not  but  ascribe  his 
success  to  God,  as  he  was  viewing  the  fortifications,  after 
the  city  was  taken.  His  words  to  his  friends  were  very 
remarkable.  "  We  have  fought  (said  he)  with  God  on 
"  our  side;  and  it  is  God  who  hath  pulled  the  Jews  out 
(t  of  their  strong  holds ;  for  what  could  the  hands  of  men 
i(  or  machines  have  done  against  these  towers?"  God, 
therefore,  in  the  opinion  of  Titus,  as  well  as  of  St.  Mark, 
shortened  the  days.  After  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
God  likewise  inclined  the  heart  of  Titus  to  take  some 
pity  on  the  remnant  of  the  Jews,  and  to  restrain  the 
nations  from  exercising  the  cruelty  that  they  would 
otherwise  have  exercised  towards  them.  At  Antioch. 
particularly  (where  the  disciples  were  first  called  Chris- 
tians) the  senate  aud  people  earnestly  importuned  him  to 
expel  the  Jews  out  of  the  city;  but  he  prudently  answer- 
ed, that  their  country  being  laid  waste,  there  was  no  place 
that  could  receive  them.  They  then  requested  him  to 
deprive  the  Jews  of  their  remaining  privileges,  but  those 
he  permitted  them  to  enjoy  as  before.  Thus  for  the  elect's 
sake  those  days  of  persecution  were  shortened. 

In   another  part   of  this   remarkable   prophecy   our 
Blessed  Lord  says:  And  they  shall  fall  by  the  edge  of  the 


344  PROPHECIES    OF   OUR   SAVIOUR 

sword,  and  shall  be  led  away  captive  into  all  nations;  and 
Jerusalem  shall  be  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles,  until  the 
times  of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled,  Luke  xxi.  *M.  The 
number  of  those  who  fell  by  the  edge  of  the  sword  was, 
indeed,  very  great,  the  whole  amounting  to  no  less  than 
eleven  hundred  thousand.  But  besides  these,  others 
were  also  to  be  led  away  captive  into  all  nations;  and  of 
these  the  number  taken  in  the  whole  war  amounted  to 
ninety-seven  thousand,  many  of  whom  were  sent  to  the 
works  in  Egypt,  and  others  sold  as  slaves.  Thus  were 
the  Jews  miserably  tormented,  and  distributed  over  the 
Roman  provinces,  and  are  they  not  still  distressed  and 
dispersed  over  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  ? 

As  the  Jews  were  to  be  led  away  captive  into  all 
nations,  so  Jerusalem  was  to  be  trodden  down  of  the 
Gentiles,  until  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled.  And 
accordingly  Jerusalem  hath  never  since  been  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  Jews,  but  hath  constantly  been  in  subjec- 
tion to  some  other  nation,  as  first  to  the  Romans,  after- 
wards to  the  Saracens,  then  to  the  Franks,  then  to  the 
Mamalucs,  and  now  to  the  Turks. 

Thus  have  the  Jews,  for  upwards  of  seventeen  hun- 
dred years,  been  a  standing  monument  of  the  truth  of 
Christ's  prediction,  being  dispersed  over  the  face  of  the 
whole  earth,  and  their  country  groaning  under  the  yoke 
of  foreign  lords  and  conquerors.  And  at  this  day  there  is 
no  reason  to  doubt  but  they  will  continue  in  the  same 
state,  nor  ever  recover  their  native  country,  until  the  times 
of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled,  that  is,  until  they  shall  be 
again  restored  to  the  Divine  favor;  or,  as  St.  Paul  ex- 
presses it,  until  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  be  come  in, 
and  so  all  Israel  shall  be  saved,  and  become  again  the 
people  of  God,  Rom.  xi.  25,  2G. 

When  we  consider  with  what  amazing  exactness  these 
prophecies  of  our  Blessed  Saviour  have  been  fulfilled, 
and  how  unlikely  they  were  to  happen  at  the  time  they 
were  predicted,  we  cannot  help  being  astonished  at, 
though  at  the  same  time  we  are  led  to  admire,  such  wonder- 
ful incidents.  It  appears,  iudeed,  next  to  impossible,  that 
any  man  should  duly  cousider  these  prophecies,  with  the 
exact  completion  of  them,  without  being  confirmed  in  the 


CONCERNING  THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM.      345' 

faith  of  the  Christian  religion.  Can  any  stronger  proof 
be  given  of  a  Divine  revelation,  or  the  spirit  of  prophecy, 
than  the  examples  now  before  us,  wherein  so  many  con- 
tingencies, which  human  wisdom  or  prudence  could  never 
foresee,  are  so  particularly  foretold,  and  so  punctually 
Accomplished?  At  the  time  when  our  Lord  pronounced 
these  prophecies,  the  Roman  governor  resided  at  Jerusa- 
lem, and  had  a  force  sufficient  to  keep  the  people  in 
obedience;  and  could  human  prudence  foresee  that  the 
people  of  that  city,  as  well  as  those  of  the  country,  would 
revolt  and  rebel  against  the  Romans?  Could  human 
prudence  foresee  famines  and  pestilences,  and  earth- 
quakes in  divers  places?  Could  human  prudence  foresee 
such  au  utter  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  with  all  the  cir- 
cumstances which  preceded  and  followed  it?  It  was 
never  the  custom  of  the  Romans  absolutely  to  ruin  any  of 
their  provinces.  It  was,  therefore,  improbable,  that  such 
a  thing  should  happen,  and  still  more  improbable  that  it 
should  happen  under  the  humane  and  generous  Titus, 
who  was,  indeed,  as  he  was  justly  called,  the  love  and 
delight  of  mankind. 

It  has  been  observed  by  some  that  the  other  predictions 
of  holy  writ  are  figurative  and  obscure,  but  the  like  ob- 
servations cannot  be  made  with  respect  to  the  prophecies 
of  our  Saviour,  they  beiug  delivered  in  the  most  simple, 
plain,  and  intelligible  terms.  It  is  allowed,  indeed,  that 
some  of  those  prophecies  are  taken  from  Moses  and 
Daniel,  and  our  Saviour,  prophecying  of  the  same  events, 
hath  applied  some  of  the  same  images  and  expressions ; 
but  this  is  the  highest  commendation  that  can  be  given  to 
his  predictions.  He  hath  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the 
inspired  writers  before  him ;  but  what  a  superstructure 
hath  he  raised?  He  hath  acted  in  this  case,  as  in  every 
other,  like  one  who  came  not  to  destroy  the  law  and  the 
prophets,  but  to  fulfil  them.  He  hath  manifested  himself 
to  be  a  true  prophet,  by  his  exact  interpretation  and  ap- 
plication of  other  prophets.  He  is  also  much  more  par- 
ticular and  circumstantial  than  either  Moses  or  Daniel. 
In  several  instances  his  prophecies  are  entirely  new,  and 
properly  his  own;  besides  which  he  uses  greater  precision 

vol.  iv.         X  x 


816  PKOPIIECIES  OF  OUR  SAVIOUR 

in  fixing  and  confining  the  time  to  that  very  generation 
which  was  to  fulfil  the  accomplishment  of  his  prophecy. 

For  the  completion  of  these  prophecies  the  persons 
seem  to  have  been  wonderfully  raised  up,  and  preserved 
hy  Divine  Providence.  Vespasian  was  promoted  from 
obscurity?  and  though  feared  and  hated  by  Nero,  yet  was 
preferred  by  him,  and  singled  out  as  the  only  general 
among  the  Romans  who  was  most  capable  of  undertaking 
such  a  war.  He  had  subdued  the  greater  part  of  Judea, 
when  he  was  advanced  to  the  empire,  and  he  was  happy 
in  putting  an  end  to  the  civil  wars,  and  to  the  other 
troubles  and  calamities  of  the  state.  He  therefore  com- 
missioned his  son  Titus  to  prosecute  the  wars  against  the 
Jews,  the  commencement  of  which  had  nearly  proved 
fatal  to  him.  While  he  was  taking  a  view  of  the  city,  he 
was  surrounded  by  the,  enemy,  and  nothing  less  was  ex- 
pected than  that  he  would  be  either  slain  or  taken  prisoner ; 
but  he  resolutely  broke  through  the  midst  of  them,  and 
though  unarmed,  yet  arrived  safe  at  his  own  camp.  Jo- 
sephus  himself  was  also  no  less  wonderfully  preserved 
than  Titus,  the  one  (as  it  may  reasonably  be  thought)  to 
destroy  the  city,  and  the  other  to  record  its  destruction. 

The  calamities  which  attended  the  Jews  during  the 
siege,  and  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  were  the 
greatest  ever  known ;  and  what  heinous  sin  was  it  that 
could  bring  down  such  heavy  judgments  on  the  Jewish 
church  and  nation?  No  other  reason  can  be  given  so 
equally  just  as  that  assigned  in  the  scripture,  namely, 
their  crucifying  the  Lord  of  Glory,  which  is  thus  ex- 
pressed by  St.  Paul :  They  both  killed  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  their  own  prophets,  and  persecuted  the  apostles,  and 
so  filled  up  their  sins,  and  wrath  came  upon  them  to  the 
uttermost.  1  Thess.  ii.  15,  18.  This  has  been  always 
considered  as  the  most  capital  sin  of  the  Jewish  nation: 
and  we  shall  find,  upon  reflection,  some  correspondence 
between  their  crime  and  their  punishment.  They  put 
Jesus  to  death  when  the  nation  was  assembled  to  cele- 
brate the  passover;  and  at  that  feast  likewise  Titus  shut 
them  up  within  the  walls  of  the  city.  The  rejection  of 
the  true  Messiah  was  their  crime,  and  the  destruction  that 
took  place  in  consequence  thereof  was  their  punishment. 


.  I  i:\l\G  THE  DESTRl  CTIOJN  OF  JERUSALEM.     317 

They  sold  and  bought  Jesus  as  a  slave;  and  tlioy  (hem 
selves  were  afterwards  sold  and  bought  as  slaves  at  the 
lowest  prices.  They  preferred  a  robber  and  murderer  to 
Jesus,  whom  they  crucified  between  two  thieves;  and 
they  themselves  were  afterwards  infested  with  bands  of 
thieves  and  robbers.  They  crucified  Jesus  before  the 
walls  of  Jerusalem,  and  they  themselves  were  crucified 
in  such  numbers,  that  it  is  said  room  was  wanting  for  the 
crosses,  and  crosses  for  the  bodies.  When,  therefore,  we 
consider  these  things  together,  we  cannot  help  clearly 
seeing  in  what  a  strict  manner  was  fulfilled  the  impreca- 
tion of  the  Jews  themselves,  at  the  time  when  Pilate  ac- 
quitted himself  of  being  accessary  to  our  Saviour's  death, 
Jlis  blood  be  on  us  and  on  our  children,  Matth.  xxvii.  23. 

From  these  and  many  other  instances  which  have  been 
taken  notice  of  in  a  former  part  of  our  work,  relative  to 
prophecies  and  their  completions,  we  may  be  fully  as- 
sured  of  the  great  truth  of  Divine  revelation.  No  prophe- 
cy of  the  scripture  is  of  any  private  interpretation,  or  the 
suggestion  of  any  man's  own  spirit  or  fancy;  for  the 
prophecy  came  not  in  old  time  by  the  ivill  of  man,  but 
holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  2  Pell,  20,21. 

In  the  prophecies  we  see  instances  of  things,  which 
could  no  way  depend  on  human  conjecture,  foretold  with 
the  greatest  clearness,  and  fulfilled  hundreds  of  years 
after  with  the  greatest  exactness.  Nay,  we  see  some  of 
them,  which  were  delivered  above  three  thousand  years 
ago,  fulfilling  at  this  very  time ;  and  cities,  countries  and 
kingdoms  in  the  very  same  condition,  and  with  the  very 
same  circumstances,  as  the  prophets  had  foretold.  This 
is  proving  our  religion,  in  some  measure,  by  occular  de- 
monstration: it  is  not  walking  by  faith  only,  but  also  by 
sight. 

The  prophecies,  though  written  by  different  men  in 
different  ages,  have  yet  a  visible  connection  and  depen- 
dency, an  entire  harmony  and  agreement  one  with 
another.  At  the  same  time  that  there  is  such  perfect 
harmony,  there  is  also  great  variety;  and  the  same 
things  are  foretold  by  different  prophets  in  a  different 
manner  and  with  different  circumstances;  and  the  latter 


348  PROPHECIES  OF  OUR  SAVIOUR 

usually  improve  upon  the  former.  They  are  all  excellent 
in  their  various  kinds;  and  we  may  observe  the  beauty 
and  sublimity  of  the  stile  and  diction  of  the  prophets, 
even  from  those  quotations  which  have  been  made  from 
their  writings.  Indeed,  they  are  truly  deserving  the 
most  serious  perusal  and  meditation,  not  only  considered 
as  prophets,  but  considered  even  as  authors,  for  their 
noble  images  and  descriptions,  their  instructive  precepts, 
and  their  pathetical  exhortations. 

Time,  that  takes  away  something  from  the  evidence  of 
other  writers,  is  still  adding  something  to  the  credit  and 
authority  of  the  prophets.  Future  ages  will  comprehend 
more  than  the  present,  as  the  present  understands  more 
than  the  past;  and  the  perfect  accomplishment  will  pro- 
duce a  perfect  knowledge  of  all  the  prophecies. 

Those  who  attempt  to  explain  the  prophecies  should  be 
possessed  of  a  competent  knowledge  of  history  sacred 
and  profane,  ancient  and  modern.  Prophecy  is,  as  we 
may  say,  history  anticipated  and  contracted;  history  is 
prophecy  accomplished  and  extended;  and  the  prophecies 
of  scripture  contain  the  fate  of  the  most  considerable 
nations,  and  the  substance  of  the  most  memorable  trans- 
actions in  the  world  from  the  earliest  to  the  latest  times. 

If  to  the  prophecies  we  add  the  miracles,  so  salutary 
and  beneficial,  so  publicly  wrought,  and  so  credibly  at- 
tested, above  any  other  matters  of  fact  whatever,  by  those 
who  were  eye-witness^  of  them,  and  sealed  the  truth  of 
their  testimony  with  their  blood;  if  to  these  external  con- 
firmations we  add  likewise  the  internal  excellence  of 
Christianity,  the  goodness  of  the  doctrine  itself,  so  moral, 
so  perfect,  so  divine,  and  the  purity  and  perfection  of  its 
motives  and  sanctions,  above  any  other  system  of  morali- 
ty or  religion  in  the  world :  if  we  seriously  consider  and 
compare  all  these  things  together,  it  is  almost  impossible 
not  to  feel  conviction,  and  to  cry  out,  as  Thomas  did  after 
handling  our  Saviour,  My  Lord,  and  my  God!  John  xx. 
28.  This  is  only  one  argument  out  of  many,  that  there 
must  be  a  divine  revelation,  if  there  is  any  truth  in  prophe- 
cy; and  there  must  be  truth  in  prophecy,  as  we  have 
shewn  in  several  instances,  and  might  shew  in  several 
more,  if  there  is  any  dependence  upon  the  testimony  of 


CONCERNING  THE  DESTR1  CI  ION  OF    JERUSALEM.      319 

others,  or  upon  our  own  senses,  upon  what  we  read  to 
books,  or  upon  what  we  see  in  the  world. 

Some  men  are  apt  to  think,  that  if  they  could  but  see.  a 
miracle  wrought  in  favor  of  religion,  they  would  resign 
all  their  scruples,  believe  without  doubt,  and  obey  with- 
out reserve.  The  very  thing  that  such  desire  they  have. 
We  have  the  greatest  and  most  striking  of  miracles  in 
the  series  of  scripture  prophecy  accomplished,  as  we  see, 
in  the  present  statu  of  almost  all  nations,  such  as  the  Af- 
ricans, the  Egyptians,  the  Arabians,  the  Turks,  the  Jews, 
the  Papists,  &c.  And'  this  is  not  a  transient  miracle, 
ceasing  almost  as  soon  as  performed;  but  is  permanent, 
and  continued  through  the  course  of  many  generations. 
It  is  not  a  miracle  delivered  only  on  the  report  of  others, 
but  is  subject  to  our  own  inspection  aud  examination.  It 
is  not  a  miracle  represented  only  before  a  certain  number 
of  witnesses,  but  is  open  to  the  observation  and  contem- 
plation of  all  mankind;  and  after  so  many  ages,  is  still 
growing,  still  improving  to  future  times.  What  stronger 
miracle,  therefore,  can  be  required  for  our  conviction?  or 
what  will  avail  if  this  be  not  effectual?  What  can  be 
plainer?  We  see,  or  may  see,  with  our  own  eyes, 
the  scripture  prophecies  accomplished;  and  if  the  scrip- 
ture prophecies  are  accomplished,  the  scripture  must  be 
the  word  of  God ;  and  if  the  scripture  is  the  word  of 
God,  the  Christian  religion  must  be  the  only  one  that  can 
lead  to  eternal  happiness. 

For  the  encouragement  of  all  let  it  be  remembered,  that 
he  who  receiveth  a  prophet  in  the  name  of  a  prophet, 
shall  receive  a  prophet's  reward,  Matth.  x.  41.  Where- 
fore, quench  not  the  spirit;  despise  not  'prophesying; 
prove  all  things,  hold  fast  that  which  is  good.  1  Thess. 
v.  19,  &c. 

Among  the  various  prophecies  foretold  by  our  Blessed 
lledeeraer,  exclusive  of  those  concerning  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem,  there  are  none  more  conspicuous  than  those 
relative  to  the  propagation  of  his  Gospel,  and  the  perse- 
cution his  disciples  should  undergo  while  employed  in 
that  great  and  beneficial  undertaking.  These  predictions 
were  fulfilled  in  the  most  strict  and  ample  manner.  The 
Christian  religion  was  soon  spread  through  the  greatest 


350  STATE  OF  THE  FIVE  GRAND 

parts  of  Europe,  Asia  and  Africa,  and  was  established 
not  only  in  cities  and  populous  places,  but  even  in  towns 
and  country  villages.  The  metropolitan  cities  were  all 
under  bishops  of  the  greatest  eminence  and  piety,  many 
of  whom,  as  our  Blessed  Lord  had  predicted,  were  per- 
secuted and  suffered  martyrdom  for  the  glorious  cause 
they  had  undertaken.  They  resolutely  withstood  every 
kind  of  oppression  inflicted  on  them,  and  by  their  perse- 
verance the  Gospel  increased  and  flourished  in  the  most 
extensive  manner.  That  they  suffered  great  persecutions 
for  the  cause  of  their  Divine  Master  will  appear  from  the 
following  table,  which  contains  an  account  of  the  state  of 
the  five  great  churches,  called  apostolical,  during  the 
three  first  centuries  after  the  death  of  our  Blessed  Re- 
deemer. 


A  Brief  Chronological  Catalogue  of  the  APOSTLES  and 
their  Successors,  who  founded  and  presided  over  the  Five 
Grand  Apostolical  Churches  of  Antioch,  Rome,  Jerusa- 
iem,  Byzantium,  or  Constantinople,  and  Alexandria. 

ANTIOCH. 

IT  is  generally  acknowledged,  even  by  the  Romish 
writers,  that  a  church  was  founded  here  by  St.  Peter 
some  considerable  time  before  that  at  Rome ;  and  here  it 
was  that  the  venerable  name  of  Christians  first  com- 
menced. The  fathers  in  the  council  at  Constantinople 
under  Nectarius,  in  their  Synodicon  to  them  at  Rome, 
style  the  church  of  Antioch,  The  most  ancient,  and  truly 
apostolical ;  and  St.  Chrysostom,  The  head  of  the  whole 
world.  The  succession  of  its  bishops  till  the  time  of  Con- 
s  tan  tine  was  as  follows : 

I.  St.  Peter  the  apostle,  who  governed  this  church  at 
least  seven  years. 

II.  Evodins,  who  sate  23  years.   In  his  time  the  dis- 
ciples were  first  called  Christians  at  Antioch. 


APOSTOLICAL   CHURCHES.  331 

lit  Ignatius.  After  presiding  near  forty  years  over 
this  church,  lie  was  carried  out  of  Syria  to  Home,  and 
there  thrown  to  wild  beasts  in  the  theatre,  Ann.  Chr. 
110.    Trajan  11. 

IV.  Heron.  He  was  bishop  50  years.  To  hiui  suc- 
ceeded 

Y.  Cornelius,  who  kept  the  place  13  years. 

VI.  Eros,  2b",  or,  (as  Eusebius  says)  24  years. 

VII.  Theophilus,  13,  a  man  of  great  parts  and  learn- 
ing; many  of  his  works  were  extant  in  Eusebius's  time, 
and  some  of  them  we  still  have  at  this  day. 

VIII.  Maximus,  13.    He  dying,  the  next  chosen  was 

IX.  Serapio,  25.  Many  of  his  works  are  mentioned 
by  Eusebius  and  St.  Hierom.    To  him  succeeded 

X.  Asclepiades,  a  man  of  great  worth  and  eminency, 
and  invincible  constancy  in  the  time  of  persecution  j  he 
continued  in  his  see  9  years. 

XI.  Philotus,  8. 

XII.  Zebinus,  or  Zebennus,  6  years. 

XIII.  Babylas,  13.  After  many  conflicts  and  suffer- 
ings for  the  faith,  he  received  the  crown  of  martyrdom 
under  Decius,  who  commanded  his  chains  to  be  buried 
with  him. 

XIV.  Fabias,  or,  (as  the  patriarch  Nicephorus  calls 
him)  Flavius,  possessed  the  chair  9  years.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by 

XV.  Hemetrianus,  who  (according  to  Eusebius)  held 
the  see  8  years. 

XVI.  Paulus  Samosetanus  sate  in  the  chair  8  years, 
when,  for  his  unepiscopal  manners  and  practices,  his  un- 
sound dogmata  and  principles,  and  especially  his  mean 
and  unworthy  opinions  concerning  our  Saviour,  he  was 
condemned  and  deposed  by  a  synod  at  Antioch,  whose 
determination  is  at  large  extant  in  Eusebius. 

XVII.  Domnus  succeeded  in  his  place.  He  was  con- 
stituted ^and  ordained  to  the  place  by  the  fathers  of  that 
synod,  who  farther  gave  him  this  honorable  character, 
that  he  was  a  man  endued  with  all  episcopal  virtues 
and  ornaments.  Eusebius  makes  him  to  have  sat  6,  but 
Nicephorus  only  2  years. 

XVIII.  Timaeus.   He  sate  in  the  chair  10  years. 


353 


STATE   OF   THE   FIVE    GRAND 


XIX.  Cyrillus,  who  presided  over  that  church  in  the 
account  of  Nicephorus  15,  of  Eusebius  S*  years. 

XX.  Tyrsennus.  He  sate  13  years.  In  his  time  be- 
gan the  tenth  persecution  under  Dioelesiau,  which  raged 
with  great  severity. 

XXI.  Vatalis,  6. 

XXII.  Philogonius  5,  succeeded  by 

XXIII.  Paulinus,  or,  as  Nicephorus  calls  him,  Paul- 
us,  who,  after  five  years,  was  deposed  and  driven  out  by 
the  pre  valency  of  the  Adrian  faction. 

XXIV.  Eustatkius,  formerly  bishop  of  Bersea,  a 
learned  man,  and  of  great  note  and  eminency  in  the  coun- 
cil of  Nice,  the  first  general  council,  summoned  by  Con- 
stantine  the  Great,  after  he  had  restored  peace  and  pros- 
perity to  the  church. 


ROME. 

THE  foundation  of  this  church  is,  with  just  reason, 
equally  attributed  to  Peter  and  Paul,  the  one  as  apostle 
of  the  circumcision  preaching  to  the  Jews,  while  the  other 
probably  as  the  apostle  of  the  uncircumcision  preached  to 
the  Gentiles.  Its  bishops  succeeded  in  the  following  or- 
der : 

I.  St.  Peter  and  Paul,  who  both  suffered  martyrdom 
under  Nero. 

II.  Linus,  the  son  of  Herculanus,  a  Tuscan.  He  is 
mentioned  by  St.  Paul,  and  sate  between  11  and  IS  years. 

III.  Cletus,  or  Anacletus,  or  Anancletus,  supposed  by 
many  to  be  the  same  person;  (though  others  who  reckon 
Anacletus,  a  Greek,  born  at  Athens,  make  them  distinct, 
whom  yet  we  have  left  out,  not  being  mentioned  by 
Eusebius)  a  Roman,  the  son  of  JEmilianus,  sate  9, 
though  others  say  but  two  years. 

IV.  Clemens,  a  Roman,'  born  in  Mount  Cselius,  the 
son  of  Paustinus,  near  a-kin,  say  some,  to  the  emperor. 
He  was  condemned  to  dig  in  the  marble  quarries  near  the 
Euxine  sea,  and  by  the  command  of  Trajan  thrown  into 
the  sea,  with  an  anchor  about  his  neck.  He  was  bishop 
of  Rome  9  years  and  4<  months. 


APOSTOLIC    CIIUItCIIES.  353 

V.  Euaristus,  by  birth  a  Greek,  but  his  father  a  Jew 
of  JSethlehem.  He  is  said  to  have  been  crowned  with 
martyrdom  the  last  year  of  Trajan,  in  the  ninth  of  his 
bishopric,  or,  as  others  say,  the  thirteenth. 

VI.  Alexander,  a  Roman,  though  young  in  years,  was 
grave  in  his  manners  and  conversation.  He  sate  10  years 
and  7  months,  and  died  a  martyr. 

VII.  Xystus,  or  Sixtus,  a  Roman.  He  was  martyred 
in  the  10th  year  of  his  bishopric,  and  buried  in  the  Va- 
tican. 

VIII.  Telesphorus,  a  Greek,  succeeded.  Justin  the 
martyr  flourished  in  his  time.  He  died  a  martyr,  having 
sate  11  years  and  3  months;  10  years  8  months,  say 
others ;  and  was  buried  near  St.  Peter  in  the  Vatican. 

IX.  Hyginus,  the  sou  of  an  Athenian  philosopher,  was 
advanced  to  the  chair  under  Antonius  Pius.  He  sate  '1 
years,  Eusebius  says  8. 

X.  Pius,  an  Italian,  born  at  Aquileia ;  he  died  after 
being  bishop  11  years  and  4  months;  according  to  Euse- 
bius, 15  years. 

XI.  Anicetus,  born  in  Syria.  He  is  said  after  9,  or, 
as  others,  11  years,  to  have  suffered  martyrdom,  and  was 
buried  in  the  Via  Appia,  in  the  cemetry  of  Callistus.  In 
bis  time  Polycarp  went  to  Home. 

XII.  Sotea,  or,  as  Nicephorus  calls  him,  Soterichus, 
was  a  Campanian,  the  son  of  Coneordius.  There  was  an 
intercourse  of  letters  between  him  and  Dionysius,  bishop 
of  Corinth.  He  died  after  he  had  sate  9  years,  or,  as  Eu- 
sebius reckons,  7- 

XIII.  Eleutherius,  born  at  Nicopolis  in  Greece.  To 
him  Lucius  king  of  Britain  sent  a  letter  and  an  embassy. 
He  sate  15  years,  died  ann.  Chr.  186,  and  was  buried  in 
the  Vatican. 

XIV.  Victor,  an  African,  the  son  of  Felix,  a  man  of  a 
furious  and  intemperate  spirit,  as  appeared  from  his  pas- 
sionate proceedings  in  the  controversy  about  the  observa- 
tion of  Easter.    He  was  bishop  10  years. 

XV.  Zephyrimus,  a  Roman,  succeeded,  and  possessed 
the  chair  8  years.    He  was  a  pious  and  learned  man. 

XVI.  Callistus,  or  Calixtus,  the  son  of  Domitius,  a 
Roman;  a  prudent  and  modest  man.   He  suffered  much 

yqi.  iy.        Y  t 


334        l  STATE  OF  THE  FIVE  GRAND 

in  the  persecution  under  Alexander  SeVerus,  under  whom 
he  became  a  martyr;  being  thrown  into  a  well  by  the  pro- 
curement of  Ulpian  the  great  lawyer,  but  severe  enemy 
to  Christians.  He  sate  6  years;  and  though  he  made  a 
cemetry,  called  after  his  own  name,  yet  he  was  buried  in 
that  of  Calepodius,  in  the  Appian  way. 

XVII.  Urbanus,  the  son  of  Pontianus,  a  Roman,  after 
4,  or,  as  some,  6  years,  suffered  martyrdom  for  the  faith. 
Eusebius  has  5 ;  S.  Hierome  in  his  translation  9.  He  was 
buried  in  Pretextatus's  cemetry  in  the  Appian  way. 

XVIII.  Pontianus,  the  son  of  Calphurnius,  a  Roman ; 
for  his  bold  reproving  the  Roman  idolatry  he  was  ban- 
ished into  the  island  of  Sardinia,  where  he  died.  He  was 
bishop  about  3  or  4  years ;  or,  as  Eusebius  says,  5  years. 

XIX.  Anteros,  a  Greek,  the  son  of  Romulus.  He  died 
after  he  had  kept  his  place  one  month;  though  others, 
without  reason,  make  him  to  have  lived  in  it  many  years, 
and  was  buried  in  the  cemetry  of  Callistus. 

XX.  Fabianus,  a  Roman,  was  unexpectedly  chosen 
bishop,  while  several  others  being  in  competition,  a  pigeon 
suddenly  descended,  and  sate  upon  his  head.  He  died  a 
martyr  after  14  years,  and  was  buried  in  the  same  place 
with  his  predecessor. 

XXI.  Cornelius,  a  Roman.  He  opposed  and  con- 
demned Novatian.  Frequent  letters  passed  between  him 
and  Cyprian.  After  somewhat  more  than  two  years,  he 
was  cruelly  whipped,  and  then  beheaded,  and  was  buried 
in  a  vault  within  the  grange  of  Lucina,  near  the  Appian 
way. 

XXII.  Lucius,  a  Roman,  sate  2,  or  as  others,  8  years. 
He  suffered  martyrdom  by  the  command  of  Valerian,  and 
was  buried  in  Castillus's  cemetry. 

XXIII.  Stephenus,  a  Roman,  the  son  of  Julius.  Great 
contests  were  between  him  and  Cyprian,  about  re-bap- 
tizing those  who  had  been  baptized  by  heretics.  He, 
was  beheaded  after  he  sate  about  2  or  3  years,  though 
others  say  7?  and  was  buried  with  his  predecessor. 

XXIV.  Xystus,  a  Greek,  formerly  a  philosopher  of 
Athens.  After  i,  or  as  others  compute,  2  years  and  10 
months,  he  suffered  martyrdom. 


APOSTOLICAL    CHURCHES.  355. 

AW.  Dionysius,  a  monk;  made  bishop.  In  the 
judgment  of  Dionysius,  bishop  of  Alexandria,  a  truly 
learned  and  admirable  person.  The  time  of  his  presiden- 
cy is  uncertainly  assigned,  6,  9>  10,  11.  Eusebius  ex- 
tends it  to  12  years. 

XXV I.  Felix,  a  Roman.  He  suffered  about  the  fourth 
or  fifth  year  of  his  episcopacy,  and  was  buried  in  the 
Aurelian  way,  in  a  cemetry  of  his  own,  two  miles  from 
Rome. 

XXVII.  Eutychianus,  a  Tuscan,  a  man  exceedingly 
careful  of  the  burial  of  martyrs,  after  one  year's  space  was 
himself  crowned  with  martyrdom. 

XXVIII.  Caius,  as  Eusebius  calls  him  Gaianus,  a 
Dalmatian,  kinsman  to  the  emperor  Dioclesian,  and  in 
the  persecution  under  him  became  a  martyr.  He  sate  11 
years,  some  say  longer.  Eusebius  15  years.  He  was  be- 
headed, and  buried  in  the  cemetry  of  Callistus. 

XXIX.  Marcellinus,  a  Roman.  Through  fear  of  tor- 
ment he  sacrificed  to  the  gods,  but  recovering  himself, 
died  a  martyr,  after  he  had  sate  8  or  9  years.  He  was 
beheaded,  and  buried  in  the  cemetry  of  Priscilla,  in  the 
Salarian  way.   To  him  succeeded 

XXX.  Marcellus,  a  Roman.  He  was  condemned  by 
Maxentius  the  tyrant  to  keep  beasts  in  a  stable,  which 
yet  he  performed  with  his  prayers  and  exercises  of  devo- 
tion. He  died  after  5  years  and  6  months,  and  was  buried 
in  the  cemetry  of  Priscilla. 

XXXI.  Eusebius,  a  Greek,  the  son  of  a  physician. 
He  suffered  much  under  the  tyranny  of  Maxentius.  He 
sate  6  years,  and  was  buried  in  the  Appian  way,  near 
Callistus's  cemetry. 

XXXII.  Miltiades,  an  African.  He  might  be  a  con- 
fessor under  Maxentius,  but  could  not  be  a  martyr  under 
Maximinus,  as  some  report.  He  sate  3  or  4,  though 
others  say  but  two  years,  and  was  buried  in  the  cemetry 
of  Callistus. 

XXXIII.  Silvester,  a  Roman.  He  was  elected  into 
the  place,  ann.  Chr.  314,  fetched  from  the  mountain 
Soracte,  whither  he  had  fled  for  fear  of  the  persecution. 
He  was  highly  in  favor  with  Constantine  the  Great,  Ho 
sate  23,  Nicephorus  says  28  years. 


$56  STATE  OF  THE  FIVE  GRAND 

JERUSALEM. 

THE  church  of  Jerusalem  may  in  some  sense  be 
said  to  have  been  founded  by  our  Lord  himself,  as  it  was 
for  some  time  cultivated  and  improved  by  the  ministry  of 
the  whole  college  of  apostles.  The  bishops  of  it  were  as 
follow : 

I.  St.  James  the  Less,  constituted  bishop  by  the 
apostles.  He  was  thrown  off  the  temple,  and  knocked  on 
the  head  with  a  fuller's  club. 

II.  Simeon,  the  son  of  Cleopas,  brother  to  Joseph.  He 
sate  in  this  chair  23  years,  and  suffered  martyrdom  in  the 
reign  of  Trajan,  in  the  one  hundred  and  twentieth  year 
of  his  age. 

III.  Justus  succeeded  in  his  room,  and  sate  6  years. 

IV.  Zacheus,  or,  as  Nicephorus  the  patriarch  calls 
him,  Zacharias  4. 

V.  Tobias ;  to  him  after  4  years  succeeded 

VI.  Benjamin,  who  sate  2  years. 

VII.  John  who  continued  the  same  space. 

VIII.  Matthias,  or  Matthseus,  2  years. 

IX.  Philippus,  1  year :  next  came 

X.  Seneca,  who  sate  4  years. 

XI.  Justus,  4. 

XII.  Levy,  or  Lebes,  2. 

XIII.  Ephrem,  or  Ephres,  or,  as  Epiphanius  stiles 
him,  Vaphres,  2. 

XIV.  Joseph,  2. 

XV.  Judas,  2.  Most  of  these  bishops  we  may  ob- 
serve to  have  held  their  office  but  a  short  time,  following 
one  another  with  a  very  quick  succession.  This  doubt- 
less was  in  a  great  measure  owing  to  the  turbulent  and 
unquiet  humor  of  the  Jewish  nation,  frequently  rebelling 
against  the  Roman  powers,  whereby  they  provoked  them 
to  fall  heavy  upon  them,  and  cut  off  all  that  came  in  their 
way,  making  no  distinction  between  the  obstinate  Jews 
and  those  who  had  become  Christian  converts.  Hitherto 
ihe  bishops  of  Jerusalem  had  successively  been  of  the  cir- 
cumcision, the  church  there  having  been  entirely  made  up 
of  Jewish  converts.  But  after  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem, the  Jews  being  dispersed  into  other  countries,  the 


AFOSTOLICAL   CHURCHES.  857 

Gentiles  were  admitted  not  only  into  the  body  of  the 
churcb,  but  even  into  the  episcopal  chair.  The  first 
whereof  was 

XVI.  Marcus,  who  sate  8  years. 

WIT.  Cassianus,  8. 

XVIU.  Publius,  5. 

XIX.  Maxim  us,  4. 

XX.  Julianus,  2. 

XXI.  Caianus,  3. 

XXII.  Symniachus,  2. 

XXI I I.  Gams,  3. 

XXIV.  Julianus,  4. 

XXV.  Elias,  2.  "We  find  not  this  bishop  mentioned 
by  Eusebius;  but  he  is  recorded  by  Nicephorus,  of  Con- 
stantinople. 

XXVI.  Capito,  4. 

XXVII.  Maximus,4. 

XXVIII.  Antoninus,  5. 

XXIX.  Valens,  3. 

XXX.  Dulicianus,  2. 

XXXI.  Narcissus,  4.  He  was  a  man  of  eminent  pie- 
ty, famous  for  the  great  miracles  which  he  wrought;  but 
not  being  able  to  bear  the  aspersions  which  some  un- 
justly cast  upon  him,  he  left  his  church,  and  retired  into 
the  desarts  and  solitudes.    In  his  absence  was  chosen 

XXXII.  Dius,  who  sate  8  years.   After  him, 

XXXIII.  Germania,  4. 

XXXIV.  Gordius,  5.  In  his  time  Narcissus,  as  one 
from  the  dead,  returned  from  his  solitudes,  and  was  im- 
portuned by  the  people  again  to  take  the  government  of 
the  church  upon  him,  being  highly  reverenced  by  them, 
for  his  strict  and  philosophical  course  of  life.  And  in  this 
second  administration'  he  continued  10  years,  suffering 
martyrdom  when  he  was  near  120  years  old.  To  relieve 
the  infirmities  of  his  great  age  they  took  in  to  be  his  col- 
league 

XXXV.  Alexander,  formerly  bishop  in  Cappado- 
cia,  who  at  that  time  had  out  of  devotion  taken  a  pilgrim- 
age to  Jerusalem.  He  was  an  eminent  confessor,  and 
after  having  sate  15  years,  died  in  prison  under  the  Dc- 
cian  persecution.  By  him  Origen  was  ordained  presbyter. 


338  STATE  OF  THE  FIVE  GRAXD 

He  was  a  great  patron  of  learning  as  well  as  religion/ 
and  a  studious  preserver  of  the  records  of  the  church. 
He  erected  a  library  at  Jerusalem,  which  he  especially 
furnished  with  the  writings  and  epistles  of  ecclesiastical 
persons ;  and  out  of  this  treasury  it  was  that  Eusebius 
borrowed  a  great  part  of  his  materials  for  the  composing 
of  his  history. 

XXXVI.  Mazabanes,  9  years. 

XXXVII.  Hymenals,  23. 

XXXVIII.  Zabdas,  10. 

XXXIX.  Hermon  9.  He  was,  as  Eusebius  tells  us, 
the  last  bishop  of  this  see,  before  that  fatal  persecution 
that  raged  even  in  his  time. 

XL.  Macarius,  ordained  aim.  Chr.  315.  He  was 
present  in  the  great  Nicene  council.  He  sate,  says  Nice- 
phorus  of  Constantinople,  20  years;  but  St.  Hieroin 
allows  him  a  much  longer  time. 


BYZANTIUM,  AFTERWARDS  CALLED  CON- 
STANTINOPLE. 

THAT  this  church  was  first  founded  by  St.  Andrew, 
is  incontestible.  The  succession  of  its  bishops  was  as 
follows : 

I.  St.  Andrew  the  apostle.   He  was  crucified  at  Patr* 
in  Achaia. 

II.  Stachys,  whom  St.  Paul  calls  his  beloved  Stachys, 
ordained  bishop  by  St.  Andrew.   He  sate  16  years. 

III.  Onesimus,  14. 

IV.  Polycarpus,  17- 

V.  Plutarchus,  16. 

VI.  Sedicio,  9. 

VII.  Diogenes,  15. 

VIII.  Eleutherus,  7- 

IX.  Felix,  5. 

X.  Polycarpus,  17. 

XI.  Athenodorus,  4.  He  erected  a  church  called 
Elea,  afterwards  much  beautified  and  enlarged  by  Con^ 
stantine  the  Great. 


APOSTOLICAL    CUUKCIILS.  -JM) 

XII.  Euzoius,  16. 

XIII.  Laiu-entius,  11  years  and  6  mouths. 

XIV.  Alypius,  13. 

XV.  Pertinax,  a  man  of  consular  dignity.  He  built 
another  church  near  the  sea-side,  which  lie  called  Peace. 
He  sate  19  years,  and  was  succeeded  by 

XVI.  Olympianus,  11. 

XVII.  Marcus,  13. 

XVIII.  Cyriacus,  or  Cyrillianus,  16. 

XIX.  Constantinus,  7«  lu  the  first  year  of  his  bishop- 
ric he  built  a  church  in  the  north  part  of  the  city,  which 
lie  dedicated  to  the  honor  of  Eupheinia  the  martyr,  who 
had  suffered  in  that  place.  In  this  oratory  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  life,  quitting  his  episcopal  chair  to 

XX.  Titus,  who  sate  35  years  and  six  months. 
After  him  came 

XXI.  Dometius,  brother  (as  we  are  told)  to  the  em- 
peror Probus.   He  was  bishop  21  years  and  six  months. 

XXII.  Probus  succeeded  his  father  Dometius,  and 
sate  12  years.   As  after  him 

XXIII.  Metrophanes,  his  brother,  who  governed  that 
church  10  years.  And  in  his  time  it  was  that  Constan- 
tine  translated  the  imperial  court  hither,  enlarged  and 
adorned  it,  called  it  after  his  own  name,  and  made  it  the 
seat  of  the  empire. 

XXIV.  Alexander  succeeded :  a  man  of  great  piety 
and  integrity,  zealous  and  constant  in  maintaining  the 
truth  against  the  blasphemies  of  Arius. 


ALEXANDRIA. 

The  foundations  of  this  church  were  laid,  and  a  great 
part  of  its  superstructure  raised,  by  S.  Mark.  Its  bishops 
and  governors  are  thus  recorded : 

I.  S.  Mark  the  evangelist,  who  was  martyred.  Nice- 
phoris  of  Constantinople  makes  him  to  sit  2  years. 

II.  Anianus,  charactered  by  Eusebius,  a  man  beloved 
of  God,  and  admirable  in  all  things.  He  ruled  in  that 
office  23  years. 


%$Q  STATE   OF   THE  FIVE   GRAND 

III.  Avilius,  or  as  Eusebius,  13. 

IV.  Cerdo  succeeded  about  the  first  year  of  Trajan. 
He  sate  10  years. 

V.  Primus,  IS. 

VI.  Justus,  or  Justinus,  10. 

VII.  Eumenes,  10.  S.  Hierom  in  bis  translation  calls 
him  Hymenaeus. 

VIII.  Marcus,  or  Marcianus,  13. 

IX.  Caladion,  10. 

X.  Agrippinus,  14. 

XI.  Julianus,  15. 

XII.  Demetrius,  21.  He  was  a  man  of  great  zeal  and 
piety,  and  underwent  many  troubles  in  the  persecution  at 
Alexandria.  He  was  at  first  a  great  friend  to  Origen,  but 
afterwards  became  his  enemy,  laying  some  irregularities 
to  his  charge:  partly  out  of  emulation  at  the  great  reputa- 
tion which  Origen  had  gained  iu  the  world;  partly,  in  that 
Origen  had  suffered  himself  to  be  ordained  presbyter  by 
two  other  bishops,  Alexander  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  and 
Theoctistus  of  Cesarea. 

XIII.  Heraclus,  a  man  of  philosophical  genius,  edu- 
cated under  the  institution  of  Origen.  On  the  death  of 
Demetrius  he  was  advanced  to  the  government  of  the 
church,  the  care  whereof  he  took  for  16  years. 

XIV.  Dionysius,  17.  He  was  one  of  the  most  eminent 
bishops  of  his  time.  In  the  persecution  under  Decius  he 
was  banished  first  to  Taposiries,  a  little  town  between 
Alexandria  and  Canopus;  then  to  Cephro,  and  other 
places  in  the  deserts  of  Lybia.  But  a  large  account  of 
his  own  and  other  sufferings,  with  various  transactions  of 
those  times,  we  have  out  of  his  letters  yet  extant  in 
Eusebius.  He  died  in  the  twelfth  year  of  the  emperor 
Gallienus. 

XV.  Maximus.  Of  a  presbyter  he  was  made  bishop 
of  Alexandria,  and  sate  in  that  chair  18  years. 

XVI.  Thomas,  37?  or  according  to  S.  Hierom's  version 
of  Eusebius,  19.    To  him  succeeded 

XVII.  Pctrus,  12.  He  began  his  office  three  years 
before  the  last  persecution.  He  was  a  man  of  infinite 
strictness  and  accuracy,  and  of  indefatigable  industry  for 
the  good  of  the  church.   He  suffered  in  the  ninth  year  of 


IfrOfSfOLICAL   CHURCHES.  361 

ilu'  poi seen! ion,  with  the  loss  of  his  head,  gaining  the 
crown  of  martyrdom ;  after  whose  death  came  in  Constan- 
tino the  Great,  turning  the  black  and  dismal  scene  of 
things  into  a  state  of  calmness  and  serenity. 

Will.  Achillas,  1).  Ity  him  Arius,  upon  his  sub- 
mission, was  ordained  presbyter. 

XIX.  Alexander,  '23.  Under  him  Alius  began  more 
openly  to  propagate  his  heresy  at  Alexandria,  who  was 
thereupon  excommunicated  and  thrust  out  by  Alexan- 
der, and  shortly  after  condemned  by  the  fathers  of  the 
council  of  Nice. 


Remarks  on  the  conduct  of  the  Jews  in  professing  idolatry  at 
one  period,  and  opposing  it  ut  another. 

IT  has  beeu  very  justly  asked  by  some,  why  the 
Jews,  in  the  course  of  the  various  revolutions  that  took 
place  among  them,  should,  at  one  period,  so  attach  them- 
selves to  idolatry,  and  at  another  so  strongly  oppose  the 
professors  of  it,  of  which  we  have  so  many  instances  in 
the  Sacred  Writings.  As,  therefore,  it  has  been  our 
fixed  attention  to  remove  every  difficulty  through  the 
course  of  our  work;  so  Ave  shall  endeavor  to  remove  this, 
which  will  certainly  appear  manifest  to  all  from  the  fol- 
lowing observations : 

First,  What  reason  or  reasons  can  be  assigned,  why 
the  children  of  Israel  under  the  old  Testament  dispensa- 
tion, often  worshipped  the  idols  of  the  Heathen  nations; 
although  they  knew  it  to  be  contrary  to  the  law  of  that  God 
who  couviuced  them  of  his  power  by  the  wonderful  mir- 
acles he  frequently  wrought  before  their  eyes  ? 

This  is  a  question  of  a  very  important  nature,  and 
being  properly  considered,  will  throw  a  considerable 
light  on  the  scripture  history.  The  Jewish  state  differed 
from  all  others  in  the  world,  for,  as  a  Theocracy,  it  was 
under  th«  immediate  government  and  protection  of  the 
great  Jehovah ;  God  was  the  author  of  their  laws,  both 

vol.  iv.        Z  z 


36&  REMARKS    ON   THE 

with  respect  to  civil  policy  and  religion.  The  deistical 
writers  have  asserted  that  the  law  of  Moses  did  not 
teach  the  social  duties ;  but  this  is  an  accusation  not  sup- 
ported by  the  slightest  proof,  but  actually  contradicted 
by  the  ten  commandments,  and  every  part  of  the  Old 
Testament.  The  precepts  of  the  Jewish  law  were  every 
way  consistent  with  the  Divine  perfections,  and  suitable 
to  the  state  of  man  in  his  fallen  nature. 

They  enjoined  the  worship  of  one  holy,  wise  and  pow- 
erful God,  and  strictly  prohibited  the  adoration  of  images. 
— They  commanded  every  person  to  speak  of  the  name 
of  God  with  reverence,  and  to  pay  a  proper  regard  to  the 
times  and  places  set  apart  for  his  worship ;  the  duty  of 
children  to  their  parents  was  enforced  with  promises  of 
long  life  and  prosperity;  murder,  adultery,  theft  and  per- 
jury were  all  strictly  forbidden  under  the  severest  pen- 
alties; and  that  nothing  might  be  wanting  to  make  the 
law  of  God  resemble  its  Divine  author,  it  reached  to 
the  most  inmost  recesses  of  the  heart,  and  struck  at  the 
first  motion  of  corruption ;  namely,  covetousness.  Such 
was  the  nature  of  the  holy  law  which  God  delivered  to 
the  Jews ;  and  that  its  precepts  might  not  escape  their 
memories,  he  wrought  the  most  wonderful  miracles, 
which  in  all  respects  were  contrary  to  the  course  of 
nature,  that  they  might  remain  inexcusable,  if  they 
worshipped  the  idols  of  the  Heathens. 

But  such  is  the  corruptness  of  human  nature,  that  not- 
withstanding all  these  miracles,  and  the  continual  inter- 
position of  Jehovah  in  their  favor,  yet  they  often  forsook 
the  God  of  their  salvation,  and  worshipped  the  idols  of 
those  nations,  who,  for  their  many  abominations,  had 
been  driven  from  the  land  of  Canaan,  to  make  room  for 
their  establishment. 

The  children  of  Israel  remained  captive  in  Egypt 
above  two  hundred  and  thirty  years,  during  which  time  it 
is  probable  they  forgot  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God ; 
and  although  Moses  delivered  to  them  the  most  Divine 
precepts,  yet  we  do  not  find  they  had  any  fixed  place  of 
worship,  till  Solomon  built  the  temple  as  a  sacred  struc- 
ture, where  expiation  for  sin  was  to  be  made  by  sacrifices, 
and  to  Jerusalem  the  people  resorted  in  crowds,  three 


CONDUCT   OF   THE   JEWS.  363 

Uuies  every  year.  But  during  the  intervals  between  those 
periods,  lew  of  them  being  able  to  read,  not  having 
places  to  meet  in,  where  persons  properly  qualified  might 
read  and  expound  the  law  to  them,  they  frequently  for- 
got its  Divine  precepts;  and  the  religion  of  the  idolatrous 
Heathens  laying  no  restraint  on  their  corrupt  inclinations, 
they  forsook  the  law  of  God,  and  forgot  or  despised  the 
wonderful  works  he  had  shewn  to  them,  and  done  for 
them. 

Jehovah,  as  the  God  of  mercy,  never  forgot  the 
promise  he  made  to  their  pious  progenitors,  and  there- 
fore he  bore  with  many  of  their  provocations ;  but  as  his 
judgments,  though  often  slow,  are  always  sure,  he  suf- 
fered the  king  of  Babylon  to  lead  them  into  captivity, 
who  dispersed  them  throughout  his  dominions,  and  they 
remained  in  a  state  of  slavery  full  seventy  years.  The 
many  afflictions  they  suffered  made  them  sensible  of  their 
former  ingratitude  to  their  Divine  benefactor,  and  filled 
them  witli  an  earnest  desire  to  return  to  their  own  coun- 
try.   See  Psalm  exxxvii. 

Secondly.  What  reasons  can  be  assigned,  why,  after 
their  return  from  the  Babylonish  captivity,  they  had  such 
an  aversion  to  the  religion  of  the  neighboring  nations, 
that  they  cheerfully  submitted  to  the  most  cruel  tortures, 
rather  than  defile  themselves  with  the  worship  of  idols, 
even  after  miracles  had  ceased? 

The  subject  matter  of  this  question  has  been  but  little 
attended  to,  and  yet  there  is  no  great  difficulty  in  giving  it 
a  proper  solution;  part  of  which  will  rest  on  human  testi- 
mony, but  the  whole  will  be  supported  from  different 
passages  in  the  New-Testament. 

While  the  Jews  remained  captives  beyond  the  river 
Euphrates,  they  had  many  opportunities  of  making  them- 
selves acquainted  with  the  forms  observed  by  the  ancient 
Magi,  (a  set  of  learned  Heathens  who  met  at  stated 
times  to  instruct  the  people  in  the  principles  of  their 
religion)  which  made  them  familiar  with  all  their 
doctrines  and  practices.  There  is  great  reason  to  be- 
lieve that  this  gave  a  new  form  to  the  Jewish  worship, 
for  although  they  never  adopted  the  sentiments  of  the 
Magi,  yet  they  profited  in  consequence  of  imitating  their 


BG%  REMARKS    ON   THE 

examples.  When  the  temple  was  rebuilt  at  Jerusalem, 
those  who  returned  from  the  captivity  were  in  a  very  un- 
settled state ;  tiiey  were  surrounded  by  powerful  enemies, 
and  therefore  that  they  might  be  instructed  in  the  princi- 
ples of  the  law,  and  preserved  from  relapsing  into  idola- 
try, Nehemiah,  Zerubbabel,  and  the  rest  of  their  leaders, 
ordered  that  places  of  public  worship  should  be  estab- 
lished in  every  part  of  the  land,  which  were  called  syn- 
agogues. These  buildings  were  constructed  in  sucli  a 
manner,  that  a  veil  of  curtain  divided  the  men  from  the 
women;  a  practice  which  seems  to  have  taken  place  in 
all  ages  in  the  East. 

It  was  in  these  places  that  the  people  met  on  the  sab- 
bath ;  not  to  sacrifice,  because  that  could  not  be  done  any 
where  but  in  the  temple  at  Jerusalem;  but  for  this  pur- 
pose, that  a  person  properly  qualified  might  read  a  part 
of  the  law,  after  which  some  one  or  more  of  the  most  aged 
and  experienced  expounded  the  meaning  to  the  people, 
The  rest  of  their  worship  consisted  in  prayers  and  hymns, 
and  the  whole  concluded  witli  an  earnest  address  to  the 
deity,  that  he  would  send  the  Messiah  to  deliver  them 
from  the  power  of  their  enemies :  the  judgments  of  God 
on  their  ancestors  for  disobedience  were  always  repeated 
to  the  people;  and  to  induce  them  to  obedience,  they 
were  taught  to  believe  that  the  Messiah  would  soon  com- 
fort them  with  his  presence.  At  first  these  exhortations 
were  plain,  simple,  and  unaffected,  but  in  time  they  be- 
came extremely  pernicious  to  the  morals  of  the  people ; 
for  the  Rabbies,  whose  business  it  was  to  expound  the 
law,  put  many  false  glosses  upon  the  text,  and  set  up  their 
vain  traditions,  as  of  equal  authority  with  the  word  of 
God,  teaching  for  doctrines  the  commandments  of  men. 
See  Mark  vii.  7  and  ^3. 

That  the  Jews  were  in  a  great  measure  ignorant  of 
their  own  law,  before  they  were  carried  captive  into 
Babylon,  will  appear  plain,  when  we  consider  that  in  the 
reign  of  Josiah  a  copy  of  the  law  was  found  in  the  tem- 
ple, but  few  of  tiie  people  remembered  to  have  read  it;  it 
is  probable  this  was  a  copy  of  the  five  books  of  Moses, 
which  explains  the  ten  precepts  of  the  law,  and  not  the 
precepts  themselves,  because  these  were  gotten  by  heart 


CONDUCT    OF   THE   JEWS.  860 

by  ihe  children.  So  much  were  the  people  of  Israel  af- 
fected with  this  discovery,  that  their  pious  king  rent  bil 
clothes  id  token  of  humility,  and  ordered  a  fast  to  be  kept 
throughout  the  nation.    See  2  Chran.  xxxiv.  16 — 19. 

It  was  otherwise  when  our  Saviour  came  in  the  flesh, 
for  the  Jews  were  so  far  from  being  ignorant  of  their  law, 
that  they  disputed  concerning  many  passages  in  it;  and 
so  well  were  they  acquainted  with  the  prophecies,  that 
when  Herod  asked  them  where  the  Messiah  was  to  be 
horn,  they  told  him,  without  the  least  hesitation,  iu  Beth- 
lehem of  Judea.    See  Matthew  ii.  6. 

The  Jews  in  every  town  and  district  were  invited  hy 
the  elders  to  become  members  of  the  synagogue;  which 
invitation  every  person  was  at  liberty  to  comply  with  or 
reject;  if  he  rejected  the  invitation,  he  had  then  no  right 
to  any  of  the  pecuniary  emoluments  given  at  stated  times 
to  the  poor;  but  that  did  not  by  any  means  exclude  him 
from  attending  the  sacrifices  in  the  temple  at  Jerusalem : 
on  the  other  hand,  if  he  complied  with  the  invitation,  he 
was  then  obliged  to  submit  to  the  laws  of  the  Synagogue. 
otherwise  he  was  excluded. 

Thirdly,  we  have  no  account  in  sacred  scripture,  of 
the  return  of  the  ten  tribes  which  were  carried  captive  by 
the  kiug  of  Assyria.  See  %  Rings,  xvii.  6,  It  may 
therefore  be  asked,  whether  those  people  called  Jews  in 
the  New  Testament,  were  the  descendants  of  the  twelve 
patriarchs,  or  only  of  Judah  and  Benjamin? 

This  question  requires  some  attention,  and  therefore, 
we  shall  consider  it  with  care  and  deliberation: 

The  children  of  Israel  were  never  called  Jews  till  thev 

4 

went  into  captivity;  and  probably  this  name  was  first 
given  them  by  the  Babylonians,  for  the  following  reasons, 
First,  the  regal  dignity  was  inherent  in  the  tribe  of  Judah, 
and  although  that  of  Benjamin  was  carried  into  captivity, 
yet  that  being  smaller  than  the  other,  both  went  under 
one  name.  Secondly,  the  ten  tribes  spoke  the  same  lan- 
guage as  the  others;  they  were  of  the  same  original:  the 
same  manners  and  customs  were  peculiar  to  all,  and 
therefore  nothing  can  be  more  probable,  than  that  the 
people  of  Babylon  would  call  the  whole  of  tiiese  people 
by  one  and  the  same  name. 


366  REMARKS   ON   THE 

Zecharias,  the  father  of  John  the  Baptist,  was  a  priest 
of  the  course  of  Abia,  and  all  the  priests  were  of  the  tribe 
of  Levi,  anil  his  wife  expressly  called  the  daughter  of 
Aaron.  See  Luke  i.  5.  The  apostle  Paul  tells  us,  that 
lie  was  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  for  he  was  born  in 
Tarsus,  which  belouged  to  that  tribe.  See  Acts  xxi.  39. 
But  to  carry  the  argument  still  further,  the  same  Apostle, 
speaking  in  his  defence  before  king  Agrippa,  says,  "  and 
**  now  I  stand  and  am  judged  for  the  hope  of  the  promise 
(m  made  of  God  unto  our  fathers :  unto  which  promise  our 
"  twelve  tribes,  instantly  serving  God  day  and  night, 
ei  hope  to  come."  See  Acts  xxvi.  6 — 7-  Thus  it  appears 
that  the  children  of  Israel  in  general  were  called  Jews, 
and  that  some  out  of  each  tribe  returned  from  the  cap- 
tivity. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  many  of  the  ten  tribes  married 
and  continued  in  Babylon,  Assyria,  Persia,  and  Media; 
and  this  has  given  rise  to  a  notion  embraced  by  the  mod- 
ern Jews,  that  there  is  still  a  great  nation  of  their  people 
inhabiting  an  extensive  country,  beyond  the  river  Eu- 
phrates, and  that  they  will  return  and  join  the  rest  of 
their  brethren  at  Jerusalem,  at  the  coming  of  the  Mes- 
siah. But  where  is  this  country?  what  traveller  either 
ancient  or  modern,  has  taken  the  least  notice  of  it?  One 
Benjamin  of  Toledo,  a  Jew,  who  travelled  into  the  East, 
iu  the  twelfth  century,  knew  nothing  of  it ;  and,  indeed, 
there  is  the  greatest  reason  to  believe  that  the  whole  is  no 
more  than  a  fiction  invented  by  their  rabbies  to  delude 
the  people. 

From  what  has  been  said,  it  naturally  follows,  First, 
that  the  Jews  relapsed  so  often  into  idolatry  before  the 
captivity  because  they  had  no  fixed  place  to  meet  on  the 
sabbath,  to  hear  the  law  read  and  explained ;  for  reading 
is  the  life  aud  soul  of  religion,  especially  when  the  bulk 
of  the  people  are  little  acquainted  with  literature ;  we  may 
add  further,  that  the  religion  of  the  Heathens,  or  rather 
their  idolatry,  was  of  too  alluring  a  nature  not  to  capti- 
vate the  passions  of  men  naturally  hard-hearted  and  dis- 
obedient, and  who  had  not  properly  considered  the  power 
of  that  God,  who  had  wrought  the  greatest  miracles  in 
their  favor,  for  the  Jews  were  in  all  ages  a  stiff-necked, 


CONDUCT    OF    THE   JEWS,'  367 

rebellions  people.  The  precepts  contained  in  the  law 
which  («od  gave  to  Moses  were  pure  ami  holy;  they 
were  calculated  to  prevent  the  people  of  Israel  from 
abasing  themselves  by  mixing  with  the  Heathens;  in 
whose  temples  the  grossest,  the  most  shameful  and  un- 
natural abominations  were  committed.  Nay,  even  those 
crimes  which  sink  the  human  creation  beneath  the  beasts 
that  perish,  were  considered  as  virtues,  and  therefore  we 
need  not  wonder  that  the  Jews  should  so  frequently  be- 
come idolaters. 

Secondly,  when  the  children  of  Israel  had  been  trained 
in  the  school  of  affliction,  and  brought  to  a  sense  of  their 
duty,  they  found  it  necessary  to  have  places  established, 
for  reading,  and  expounding  the  law.  This  was  what 
preserved  them  from  returning  to  idolatry ;  for  however 
gross  their  vices  might  have  been,  after  their  return  from 
ciiptivity,  yet  neither  in  the  New  Testament,  nor  in  Jose- 
phus,  do  we  read  that  they  worshipped  the  idols  of  the 
Heathens.  Nay,  Josephus  relates  many  sufferings  in- 
flicted upon  those  distressed  people,  because  they  would 
not  sacrifice  unto  idols. 

Thirdly,  it  is  plain,  that  many  out  of  each  tribe  re- 
turned from  the  captivity,  for  although  they  were  called 
by  the  common  name  of  Jews,  yet  they  still  kept  up  the 
distinction  both  of  their  tribes  and  families.  Thus  much 
with  respect  to  the  three  questions  proposed,  and  we 
doubt  not  but  the  answers  will  be  satisfactory.  We  shall 
now  conclude,  with  an  hearty  prayer  to  God  for  the  con- 
version of  the  Jews,  and  the  union  of  all  those  who 
profess  the  doctrine  of  the  Blessed  Jesus. 

O  LORD,  the  Father  of  mercies,  let  not  thine  ig- 
dignation  always  burn  against  thy  ancient  people,  nor 
cast  them  off  forever.  Though  the  blood  of  thy  dear  son 
oar  Blessed  Saviour  lies  heavy  upon  them,  and  hitherto 
thou  hast  hardened  their  hearts,  yet  be  pleased,  of  thine 
infinite  mercy,  to  open  their  eyes,  soften  their  hearts,  and 
cause  them  to  mourn  over  him  whom  their  forefathers 
pierced.  Cause  them  to  understand  those  Sacred  Oracles 
which  thou  didst  commit  to  their  keeping:  that  our 
Saviour,  xvho  hath  Ions:  since  been  a  licht  to  lighten  the 


368 


PRAYER. 


(rentiles,  may,  in  thy  due  time,  be  the  glory  of  thy  people 
Israel;  that  so  there  may  be  but  one  sheeplbld,  as  there  is 
but  one  shepherd.  For  the  speedying  of  their  conversion, 
be  pleased  to  compose  the  many  differences  that  subsist 
among  Christians,  and  so  unite  them  together,  that  their 
examples  may  no  longer  discourage,  but  may  incite  thy 
once  chosen  people  to  embrace  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  and 
his  blessed  doctrine.  Cause  thy  truth,  O  Lord,  to  shine 
forth  gloriously  and  triumphantly,  as  the  sun  at  noon- 
day; and  let  it  dispel  the  thick  mist  of  darkness  and 
error  that  hath  overspread  so  many  nations  of  the  world. 
Set  up  thy  pure  worship,  and  thine  own  institutions  in 
all  parts;  and  throw  down  idolatry  and  false  worship, 
wherever  it  prevails.  Break  the  yoke  of  oppression  and 
violence,  and  rebuke  the  spirit  of  profaneness,  impiety, 
intemperance  and  ungodliness  ;  and  let  holiness,  right- 
eousness, brotherly  kindness,  and  charity,  prevail  where- 
ever  the  Gospel  of  Christ  is  owned  and  professed.  Unite- 
all  Christians  in  those  things  which  are  the  main  funda- 
mental principles  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  give  them 
charity  and  mutual  forbearance  of  each  other  in  less  im- 
portant matters.  Let  those  who  name  the  name  of  Christ 
make  conscience  to  depart  from  all  iniquity,  and  live  as 
become  his  disciples  and  servants.  Grant  this,  0  Lord, 
for  thy  own  great  mercies'  and  our  dear  Saviour's 
merits7  sake;  to  whom  with  Tliyself,  and  Holy  Spirit,  be 
all  Honor,  Glory,  Praise,  Thanksgiving,  and  sincere 
Obedience,  rendered  now,  and  for  evermore.   Amen. 

GLORY  BE  TO  GOD  IN  THE  HIGHEST,  ON  EARTH 
PEACE,  GOOD-WILL  TOWARDS  MEN. 


END    OF    THE    FOURTH     VOLUME. 


CONTENTS  OF  THIS  VOLUME. 


part  n. 
EOOK  I. 

CHAPTER   XII FROM   PAGE  5,  TO  PAGE  33. 

Our  Blessed  Lord  goes  to  (he  house  of  Simon  the  leper  at 
Bethany,  where  he  is  anointed  by  a  poor  hut  pious  woman. 
The  Sanhedrim  meet  at  Jerusalem,  and  form  an  ultimate 
resolution  of  putting  him  to  death.  Our  Lord  teaches  his 
disciples  humility  by  condescending  to  wash  their  feet.  In- 
timates to  them  who  should  betray  him  into  the  hands  of 
his  enemies.  The  perfidious  Judas  goes  to  the  Sanhedrim 
and  agrees  to  betray  his  Master  for  thirty  pieces  of  silver. 
Our  Lord  exhorts  his  other  apostles  to  mutual  love.  Sends 
Peter  and  John  to  Jerusalem  to  make  the  necessary  prepar- 
ations for  celebrating  the  Passover.  Revives  the  drooping 
spirits  of  his  apostles,  by  promising  them  a  better  life,  and 
the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  after  his  departure.  Goes  to 
Jerusalem,  and  after  eating  the  Passover,  institutes  the 
Sacrament,  in  commemoration  of  his  death  and  sufferings. 
Reproves  his  apostles  for  their  ambitious  thoughts.  Pre- 
dicts Peter's  cowardice  in  denying  him.  Fortifies  his  disci- 
ples against  his  approaching  death.  Foretels  Peter's  coward- 
ice again.  Preaches  to  and  prays  with  his  disciples  for  the 
last  time.  Retires  into  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  where 
he  prays  in  private  to  his  Father.  Is  in  great  agony  on  the 
occasion;  but  receives  comfort  from  a  Divine  messenger. 
Is  betrayed  by  Judas,  and  seized  by  a  band  of  soldiers. 

CHAPTER  XIII prom  page  33,  to  page  61. 

Our  Blessed  Lord  is  taken  before  the  Sanhedrim,  examined, 
and  grossly  insulted.  Peter  denies  him  thrice.  Our  Lord  is 
condemned  by  the  Sanhedrim,  and  carried  before  Pontius 
Pilate,  the  Roman  governor.  The  traitor  Judas  becomes  his 
own  executioner.  Pilate  publicly  acquits  Jesus,  and  refers 
his  case  to  the  decision  of  Herod,  who  remits  him  to  Pilate. 
The  Roman  governor  makes  a  speech  to  the  rulers  of  the 
rot.  iv.        3  A 


370  CONTENTS. 

Jews  in  favor  of  our  Lord.  The  people  are  enraged  against 
him,  and  insist  upon  his  being  put  to  death,  in  eonsequence 
of  which  Pilate,  to  excite  their  pity,  and  obviate  their  re- 
quest of  having  him  put  to  death,  orders  him  to  be  scourged. 
The  people  are  still  resolute,  upon  which  Pilate  uses  far- 
ther endeavors  to  appease  their  wrath,  but  without  effect, 
and  is  at  length  obliged  to  comply  with  their  unjust  and 
severe  demands.  Our  Blessed  Lord  is  conducted  to  Mount 
Calvary,  and  there  ignominiously  crucified  between  two 
notorious  malefactors.  Is  reviled  and  ill-treated  by  several 
of  the  spectators.  Strange  phenomena  appear  during  the 
time  of  his  being  fastened  on  the  cross.  Our  Lord,  after 
being  some  time  on  the  cross,  calls  upon  his  heavenly 
Father,  and  then  gives  up  the  ghost. 

CHAPTER  XIV — from  page  61,  to  page  97. 

Our  Blessed  Lord  is  treated  with  indignity  after  his  crucifixion, 
Joseph  of  Arimathea  begs  his  body  of  Pilate,  in  order  for  in- 
terment. Pilate  complies  with  his  request,  upon  which 
Joseph,  assisted  by  Nicodemus,  takes  away  the  body,  and 
deposits  it  in  a  sepulchre  which  he  had  made  for  himself. 
The  sepulchre  is  guarded  by  a  body  of  Roman  soldiers.  Our 
Saviour's  resurrection  notified  by  angels,  and  testified  by 
Mary  Magdalene,  but  not  believed.  Our  Lord  appeareth 
to  Mary.  The  soldiers  appointed  to  guard  the  door  of  the 
sepulchre,  being  frightened  at  the  appearance  of  an  angel, 
who  rolls  away  the  stone  that  was  placed  against  it,  fly  to 
Jerusalem.  They  relate  the  particulars  of  what  they  had 
seen  to  the  heads  of  the  Sanhedrim,  who  bribe  them  to  give 
it  out  that  our  Lord's  body  was  stolen  away  by  his  disciples 
while  themselves  were  asleep.  Our  Lord  appears  to  two  of 
his  disciples  as  they  are  on  their  way  to  Emmaus,  with 
whom  he  converses  for  some  time,  and  then  disappears. 
The  two  disciples  go  to  Jerusalem,  and  report  what  had 
passed  to  the  rest  of  their  companions,  some  of  whom  are 
doubtful  of  the  truth  of  their  relation.  While  they  are  in 
debate  together,  our  Saviour  suddenly  appears  among  them, 
removes  their  doubts,  chastises  them  for  their  incredulity, 
and  gives  them  several  important  instructions  relative  to 
their  future  conduct.  He  again  appears  to  his  apostles,  and 
convinces  Thomas  (who  happened  to  be  absent  at  the  time 
of  his  former  appearance)  of  the  reality  of  his  resurrection. 
Our  Lord  appears  to  Peter,  and  others,  as  they  are  fishing, 
and  performs  a  miracle ',  after  which  he  particularly  con- 


CONTEXTS.  .»:  i 

verses  with  Peter.  He  appears  to  his  apostles  for  the  last 
time,  and  after  some  conversation,  and  bestowing  on  them 
his  benediction,  visibly  ascends  into  heaven. 

PART  II. 

BOOK  IT. 

CHAPTER   I FROM  PAGE  97,  TO  PAGE  120. 

After  our  Lord's  ascension  into  heaven  the  apostles  return  to 
Jerusalem,  and  elect  Matthias  into  their  number.  They  are. 
all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  Jews  are  surprized  at 
the  event,  and  some  of  them  endeavor  to  turn  it  into  ridicule  ; 
hut  Peter  confutes  their  calumny,  and,  by  an  admirable 
speech  on  the  occasion,  makes  many  converts.  Peter  per- 
forms a  miracle,  and  makes  another  speech  to  the  people, 
which  proves  highly  successful  to  the  propagation  of  the 
gospel.  At  the  instigation  of  the  rulers  of  the  Jews,  the 
twelve  apostles  are  committed  to  prison,  and  taken  before 
the  Sanhedrim;  but,  after  an  unanswerable  vindication  of 
their  conduct,  are  dismissed.  The  punishment  of  Ananias 
and  Sapphira.  Peter  cures  many  people  of  different  infirm- 
ities. The  apostles  are  again  committed  to  prison,  but  re- 
leased in  the  night  by  an  angel  from  heaven.  They,  how- 
ever, go  before  the  Sanhedrim,  and  are  sentenced  to  be 
scourged.  They  elect  seven  deacons  as  stewards  of  the  pub- 
lic stock  for  the  relief  of  the  distressed.  Stephen,  one  of 
the  new-elected  deacons,  is  accused  of  blasphemy,  and 
taken  before  the  Sanhedrim.  He  vindicates  himself  before 
his  judges,  and  boldly  accuses  the  Jews  of  being  more  im- 
pious than  their  ancestors.  The  Jews  are  so  enraged  at 
this,  that  they  unmercifully  drag  him  out  of  the  city,  and 
stone  him  to  death.  Saul,  a  young  man  of  Cilicia,  is  par- 
ticularly active  in  the  death  of  Stephen,  and,  at  his  instiga- 
tion, most  of  the  Christian  converts  are  compelled  to  leave 
Jerusalem, 

CHAPTER    II FROM    PAGE  120,  TO  PAGE  130. 

Philip,  the  deacon,  preaches  the  Gospel  in  Samaria  with  great 
success.  One  Simon,  a  magician,  pretending  to  become  a 
convert,  is  baptized  by  Philip.  The  apostles,  hearing  of 
Philip's  success  in  Samaria,  send  Peter  and  John  thitherto 
confirm  his  doctrine.  Simon  the  magician  offers  the  apostles 
money  to  invest  him  with  the  power  of  working  miracles  5 


$7$  CONTENTS. 

but  Peter,  knowing  the  iniquity  of  his  heart,  instead  of  com- 
plying with  his  request,  severely  rebukes  him.  Peter  and 
John  return  to  Jerusalem.  Philip  converts  an  eunuch  be- 
longing to  the  queen  of  Ethiopia.  The  miraculous  conver- 
sion of  Saul,  the  great  persecutor  of  the  proselytes  in  Judea. 
He  preaches  the  Gospel  at  Damascus,  for  which  the  in- 
habitants seek  his  life,  but  he  happily  makes  his  escape. 
He  goes  to  Jerusalem  and  is  kindly  received  by  the  apostles. 
Proceeds  from  thence  to  Tarsus,  and  preaches  the  Gospel 
in  Cilicia  and  Syria.  Peter  visits  various  parts  of  Judea, 
Galilee  and  Samaria.  Cures  one  iEneas  of  a  paralytic  dis- 
order, and  raises  a  dead  woman  to  life  at  Joppa.  Is  sent 
for  by  Cornelius,  a  Roman  officer,  whom  he  converts,  with 
several  other  Gentiles.  He  returns  to  Jerusalem,  and  is 
censured  by  the  Jewish  converts  there,  for  his  familiarity 
with  the  Gentiles.  He  justifies  his  conduct  on  this  head, 
and  acquits  himself  with  satisfaction  to  his  hearers. 

CHAPTER    III PROM  PAGE  130,  TO  PAGE  149. 

Barnabas  and  Saul  preach  with  great  success  at  Antioch. 
Herod  Agrippa,  grandson  of  Herod  the  Great,  persecutes 
the  Christians,  and  orders  James  (the  brother  of  John)  to 
be  put  to  death.  He  casts  Peter  into  prison,  from  whence  he 
is  miraculously  released  by  an  angel.  The  miserable  death 
of  Agrippa.  Saul  and  Barnabas  preach  the  Gospel  in 
Cyprus,  where  they  convert  the  governor  ;  and  Saul 
changes  his  name  to  that  of  Paul.  They  go  from  Cyprus  to 
Perga,  Pisidia,  and  Lystra.  At  the  latter  place  Paul  cures 
a  lame  man,  from  which  incident  he  and  Barnabas  are 
reputed  as  Gods.  Paul  is  stoned,  but  revives  and  returns 
to  Antioch.  He  and  Barnabas  go  from  thence  to  Jerusa- 
lem, in  order  to  settle  a  matter  of  controversy  relative  to 
circumcision.  The}'  return  to  Antioch,  where  he  reproves 
Peter  for  the  impropriety  of  his  conduct.  Paul  and  Barna- 
bas disagree,  part,  and  go  different  ways. 

CHAPTER  IV prom  page  149,  to  page  166. 

Paul  travels  through  various  countries,  accompanied  by  Silas 
and  Timothy.  They  go  to  Philippi,  where  Paul  ejects  a 
spirit  of  divination,  for  which  he  and  Silas  are  first  scourged, 
and  then  put  in  prison,  but  afterwards  honorably  dismissed. 
Paul  meets  with  great  opposition  at  Thessalonica,  upon 
which  he  goes  to  Berea,  and  from  thence  to  Athens,  where 
he  preaches  and  disputes  with  the  people  of  that  city.   He 


CONTENTS.  K7S 

goes  from  Athens  to  Corinth,  from  "whence  he  -writes  his 
first  epistle  to  the  Thcssalonians.  Makes  some  converts,  but 
is  greatly  opposed  by  the  Jews.  "Writes  his  second  epistle 
to  the  Thcssalonians.  Goes  from  Corinth  to  Ephesus,  aud, 
after  staying  there  a  short  time,  proceeds  to  Jerusalem,  in 
order  to  celebrate  the  feast  of  the  Passover.  Returns  from 
thence  to  Ephesus,  where  he  baptizes  several  converts,  con- 
fers on  them  the  spirit  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  performs 
many  astonishing  miracles.  Seven  brothers,  who  are  ex- 
orcists, attempt  to  imitate  Paul,  but  are  severely  punished 
for  their  presumption.  The  travels  of  Peter,  with  the  con- 
tents of  his  first  Epistle  to  the  converted  Jews. 

CHAPTER  V FROM  PAGE    166,  TO  PAGE  185. 

Paul  forms  a  resolution  of  leaving  Ephesus,  but,  before  bis 
departure,  receives  advice  of  the  misconduct  of  the  converts 
at  Corinth,  in  consequence  of  which  he  writes  his  first 
Epistle  to  the  Corinthians.  He  likewise,  on  a  like  complaint, 
writes  his  Epistle  to  the  Galatians.  A  great  tumult  happens 
at  Ephesus,  occasioned  by  one  Demetrius,  a  silversmith ;  but 
is  at  length  suppressed  by  the  judicious  conduct  of  the  Re- 
corder of  the  city.  Paul,  after  appointing  Timothy  bishop 
of  Ephesus,  leaves  that  city,  and  goes  to  Macedonia,  from 
whence  he  writes  his  second  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians.  He 
leaves  Macedonia,  and  goes  to  Coi  I  nth,  from  whence  he 
writes  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  Returns  from  Corinth  to 
Macedonia,  and  performs  a  singular  miracle  at  Troas.  Goes 
from  Troas  to  Miletus,  where  he  gives  the  Ephesian  clergy 
his  pastoral  charge.  Proceeds  from  Miletus  to  Jerusalem, 
where  he  is  apprehended  by  the  Jews.  Claudius  Lysias, 
commander  of  the  Roman  garrison  in  the  castle  of  Antonia, 
interposes  in  his  behalf.  Paul  escapes  scourging,  and  hap- 
pily eludes  the  malice  of  the  Jews. 

CHAPTER  VI.— prom  page  185,  to  page  203. 

Paul  is  taken  before  Felix,  and  acquits  himself  of  the  accusa- 
tion laid  against  him  by  Tertullus,  one  of  his  principal  ene- 
mies. Felix  is  terrified  at  the  force  of  his  arguments.  Paul 
is  taken  before  Festus  (the  successor  of  Felix)  and  after 
answering  the  accusation  laid  against  him  by  the  Jews, 
makes  an  appeal  unto  Caesar.  He  boldly  defends  himself 
and  the  Christian  cause,  before  Festus  and  king  Agrippa. 
Is  sent  to  Rome  by  Sea,  in  the  way  to  which  he  is  ship- 
wrecked, and  cast  upon  the  island  of  Miletus,  where  he 


S7i  CONTENTS. 

performs  several  astonishing  miracles.  He  is  conducted 
from  thence  to  Rome,  where  he  is  received  with  the  most 
distinguished  respect  hy  the  Christians  in  that  city.  He 
confers  with  the  chief  of  the  Jews,  to  whom  he  preaches  the 
doctrine  of  the  Gospel  with  different  success.  Writes  an 
Epistle  to  Philemon,  a  person  of  distinction  at  Colosse. 
Sends  Epistles  to  the  Philippians,  Ephesians  and  Colossians. 
The  Epistle  of  James  to  the  dispersed  Tribes,  with  an  ac- 
count of  the  sufferings  and  martyrdom  of  that  apostle. 

CHAPTER  VII from  page  203,  to  page  217. 

Paul,  after  being  confined  more  than  two  years  at  Rome,  ob- 
tains his  liberty,  and  writes  his  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews.  He 
travels  into  Spain  and  other  western  parts,  and  then  return- 
ing eastward,  goes  to  Judea.  Account  of  the  Travels  and 
preaching  of  Peter,  with  his  conquest  over  Simon  Magus, 
the  noted  sorcerer.  Peter  and  Paul  are  committed  to  prison 
by  order  of  the  emperor  Nero,  who  raises  the  first  general 
persecution  against  the  Christians.  Account  of  Paul's  far- 
ther travels,  with  his  first  Epistle  to  Timothy,  and  another 
to  Titus.  He  returns  to  Rome,  and,  with  Peter,  is  again 
committed  to  prison.  Paul  writes  his  second  Epistle  to 
Timothy.  Both  suffer  martyrdom  at  Rome,  the  one  being 
crucified,  and  the  other  beheaded. 

CHAPTER  VIII from  page  217,  to  page  249. 

Containing  an  account  of  the  Transactions,  Travels,  Persecu- 
tions and  Sufferings  of  St.  Andrew,  St.  James  the  Great, 
St.  John  the  evangelist,  St.  Philip,  and  the  other 
Apostles,  Evangelists  and  Disciples  of  Christ,  who,  after 
our  Lord's  ascension  into  heaven,  spent  their  time  in  labor- 
ing to  propagate  the  Gospel  in  different  parts  of  the  world ; 
most  of  whom  suffered  martyrdom  for  the  cause  of  their 
Great  Lord  and  Master. 

APPENDIX. 

CHAPTER    I FROM  PAGE  249,  TO  PAGE  267. 

On  the  Connection  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  or  General 
Agreement  of  the  Sacred  Writers ;  with  a  summary  View 
of  the  great  Truths  of  Divine  Revelation. 


CONTENTS.  :i75 

CHAPTER    II FROM  PAGE  267,  TO  PAGE  277. 

On  the  Necessity  of  an  extraordinary  Revelation  from  God, 
as  deduced  from  the  depraved  State  of  Human  Nature. 

CHAPTER   III FROM    PAGE    277,  TO    PAGE  2S3. 

On  the  Authority  and  Excellency  of  the  Scriptures,  founded 
on  the  express  and  frequent  Assertions  of  Moses,  the 
Prophets  and  Apostles. 

CHAPTER  IV.-— from  page  283,  to  page  2S9. 

On  the  internal  Worth  and  Excellency  of  the  Scriptures,  as 
containing;  the  best  Principles  of  Knowledge,  Holiness  and 
Comfort. 

CHAPTER  V from  page  289,  to  page  338. 

Containing  an  Account  of  the  final  Destruction  of  Jerusalem 
by  the  Romans,  as  foretold  by  our  Blessed  Redeemer  a 
short  time  before  his  Death. 

CHAPTER  VI from  page  338,  to  page  350. 

Containing  some  general  Observations  on  the  strict  Fulfilment 
of  our  Blessed  Saviour's  prophecies  relative  to  the  Destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem,  and  the  final  End  of  the  Jewish  Polity. 

FROM  PAGE  350,  TO  PAGE  361. 

A  Brief  Chronological  Catalogue  of  the  APOSTLES  and 
their  Successors,  who  founded  and  presided  over  the  Five 
Grand  Apostolical  Churches  of  Antioch,  Rome,  Jerusa- 
lem, Byzantium,  or  Alexandria. 

FROM  PAGE  361,  TO  PAGE  368. 

Remarks  on  the  conduct  of  the  Jews  in  professing  idolatry  at 
one  period,  and  opposing  it  at  another. 


TO    TUB 

HISTORY 

OF   THE 

HOLY  BIBLE. 


TOL.    PAGE. 

AARON,  his  birth  i.        168 

applies,  with  his  brother  Moses,  to  Pharaoh, 
king  of  Egypt,  in  behalf  of  the  oppressed 
Israelites  178 

contributes  towards  the  idolatry  of  the  people      ,  226 

makes  a  golden  calf,  and  erects  an  altar  before  it  ib. 

is  chastised  for  his  indiscretion  by  his  brother 

Moses  227 

is  constituted  high-priest  .    236 

offers  his  first  burnt-offering  for  himself  and  the 

people  237 

his  two  sons,  Nadab  and  Abihu,  are  struck  dead 

with  lightning,  and  for  what  ib. 

he  and  his  sister  Miriam,  envying  Moses,  fall 

out  with  him  244 

is  severely  rebuked  for  his  conduct,  and  his  sister 

Miriam  smitten  with  a  leprosy  245 

acknowledges  the  sin  he  had  committed,  begs 
pardon,  and  intercedes  in  behalf  of  his  sister, 
in  consequence  of  which  her  leprosy  is  removed  ib« 

makes  atonement  for  the  sins  of  the  people,  and 
thereby  causes  the  plague,  with  which  they 
had  been  some  time  afflicted  for  their  re- 
bellious disposition,  to  he  remced  254 

his  rod,  which  had  been  placed  in  the  temple, 

buds,  and  produces  ripe  almonds  ib. 

the  cause  of  this  astonishing  miracle  ib, 

vox.  iv.        3  B 


378  INDEX. 

VOL.    FAGE^ 

Aaron  is  forewarned  of  his  death  i.        257 

appoints  his  son  Eleazar  to  succeed  him  in  the 
priesthood  ib» 

dies  on  Mount  Hor,  and  is  greatly  lamented  by 

the  people  ib. 

Abarim,  mountains  of,  their  situation,  &c.  note  275 

Abel,  his  birth  20 

import  of  his  name  ib. 

offers  an  oblation  to  God,  which  is  accepted  in 
preference  to  that  offered  by  his  brother  Cain  ib. 

on  this  account  his  brother  is  incensed  against 

him,  and  treacherously  kills  him  21 

Abiathar,  the  high-priest,  is  removed  from  his  of- 
fice by  Solomon,  and  banished  from  Jerusalem  ii.  51 
Abihu  and  Nadab,  the  two  sons  of  Aaron,  are 
struck  dead  with  lightning,  and  on  what  ac- 
count i.  237 
Abigail,  the  wife  of  Nabal,  by  her  prudent  be- 
havior to  David,  prevents  the  destruction  of 
herself  and  family                                                    ii.      431 

is  married  to  David  43* 

Abijam  succeeds  his  father  Rehoboam  in  the  gov- 
ernment of Judah  103 

makes  a  pathetic  speech  to  the  ten  tribes  ib. 

defeats  the  army  of  Jeroboam  with  great  slaugh- 
ter 105 

his  reign  very  short,  and  the  reason  why  ib. 

Abimelech,  king  of  Gerar,  orders  Sarai,  Abram's 
wife,  (whom  he  takes  to  be  his  sister)  to  be 
brought  to  his  palace  with  intent  to  make  her 
one  of  his  concubines  i.         64 

he  is  cautioned  in  a  dream  not  to  violate  her  on 

pain  of  immediate  death  ib. 

being  informed  who  she  is,  he  sends  for  Abram, 
and  expostulates  with  him  on  the  impropriety 
of  his  conduct,  in  making  his  wife  pass  for  his 
sister  ib» 

is  pacified,  and  not  only  restores  her,  but  makes 
them  both  valuable  presents,  and  permits 
Abram  to  settle  in  any  part  of  his  dominions  ib. 

enters  into  a  treaty  of  friendship  with  him  67 

Abimelech,  the  second  king  of  Gerar,  takes  Re- 
becca to  be  Isaac's  sister  81 

discovers  his  mistake,  and  rebukes  Isaac  for 
having  imposed  on  him  l"» 


INDEX.  3rd 

VOL.    PAGE, 

Abimelech  accepts  his  apology,  and  issues  an  edict 

in  his  favor  i.        82 

goes  to  Beersheba,  and  there  enters  into  a  treaty 

of  friendship  and  alliance  with  Isaac  83 

Abimelech,  natural  son  to  Gideon,  slays  all  his 
brothers  except  one,  and  is  made  king  of 
Shechem  342 

is  deposed,  and  another  chosen  in  his  stead  3 45 

storms  the  place,  and  orders  the  city  to  be  lev- 
elled with  the  ground  347 

pursues  the  fugitive  Shechemites  to  their  strong 
holds,  at  the  entrance  of  which  he  orders  piles 
of  wood  to  be  placed,  which  being  set  on  fire, 
no  less  than  1000  perished  in  the  flames  ib. 

receives  a  mortal  wound  at  Thebes,  by  a  stone 
thrown  from  the  Avails  of  the  city,  upon  which, 
agreeably  to  his  own  request,  his  armor-bear- 
er dispatches  him  348 
Abinadab  and  Malchishua,  two  of  Saul's  sons,  are 

slain  in  battle  by  the  Philistines  443 

Abiram  and  Dathan  rebel  against  Moses  250 

the  destruction  that  attended  them  in  conse- 
quence thereof  253 
Abishag,  a  beautiful  young  woman  of  Shunam,  be- 
comes concubinary  wife  to  David  in  his  ad- 
vanced age  ii.  29 
Abner,  Saul's  general,  after  the  death  of  his  mas- 
ter, sets  up  Ishbosheth,  the  remaining  son  of 
Saul,  as  successor  to  the  throne,  and  by  his 
interest  he  is  declared  king  by  all  the  tribes 
except  that  of  Judah                                               i.      449 

marches  with  an  army  against  Joab,  David's 
general,  is  defeated,  and  himself  and  troops 
put  to  flight  450 

is  pursued  by  Assahel,  Joab's  brother,  Avhom  he 

kills  with  his  spear  ib, 

a  difference  takes  place  between  him  and  Ishbo- 
sheth, upon  which  he  turns  over  his  interest 
to  David  452 

is  treacherously  murdered  by  Joab  454 

Abram  leaves  Ur,  and  goes  with  his  father  to 

Charan  43 

in  obedience  to  the  Divine  direction,  he  leaves 
Charan,  and  taking  with  him  his  wife  and 
family,  together  with  his  nephew  Lot,  goes 
into  the  land  of  Canaan  45 


8Sfr  lNt>EX. 

VOL.  PAGE- 

Abram  after  surveying  the  country,  stops  for  some 
time  in  the  plain  of  Moreh,  near  the  city  of 
Sichem,  and  there  erects  an  altar  i.         45 

lie  receives  assurances  of  the  divine  favor  and 
projection,  with  a  promise  that  the  whole  land 
should  be  possessed  by  his  descendants  ib« 

he  removes  from  the  plain  of  Moreh  into  the 
more  mountainous  parts  of  the  country  near 
Bethel,  where  he  likewise  erects  an  altar  ib« 

from  thence,  in  consequence  of  a  famine,  he 
goes  with  his  family  into  Egypt,  where,  being 
fearful  that  the  people  should  be  captivated 
with  his  wife's  charms,  it  is  agreed  between 
them,  that  she  shall  pass  for  his  sister  46 

his  suspicions  are  justly  founded,  and  his  wife 
is  sent  for  by  Pharaoh,  king  of  Egypt,  in 
whose  palace  she  remains  some  time,  but  her 
chastity  is  preserved  by  divine  interposition  47 

he  is  sent  for  by  Pharaoh,  who  after  rebuking 
him  for  making  his  wife  pass  for  his  sister, 
orders  him  to  quit  the  kingdom  ib. 

he  accordingly  leaves  Egypt,  and  returns  to  his 
former  situation  near  Bethel,  where  he  erects 
an  altar,  and  on  which  he  offers  a  sacrifice  of 
thanks  to  God  for  his  escape  from  Egypt  ib. 

parts  with  his  nephew  Lot  4S 

after  their  separation  Abram  has  a  vision,  in 
which  the  divine  promises  before  made  to  him 
are  confirmed  ib. 

lie  removes  with  his  family  to  the  plain  of 
Mamre  near  Hebron,  where  he  likewise  erects 
an  altar  ib. 

vanquishes  Chadorlaomer's  army,  and  recovers 

his  nephew  Lot,  who  had  li^en  taken  prisoner  50 

is  congratulated  on  the  occasion  by  the  king  of 

Sodom,  as  also  by  Melchizedek,  king  of  Salem  51 

receives  fresh  assurances  of  the  divine  protection  ib. 

is  promised  a  son  52 

enters  into  a  covenant  with  God  ib. 

the  manner  of  it  ib- 

takes  his  wife's  hand-maid  Hagar  to  his  bed  54 

he  has  a  son  by  her,  whom  he  calls  lshmael  57 

his  name  is  changed  from  Abram  to  Abraham,  ib. 

and  his  wife's  name  from  Sarai  to  Sarah  ib. 

the  import  of  each  term,  note  ib. 


INDEX.  2  St 

VOL.    PACK- 

Abraham  in  conformity  to  the  divine  command, 
circumcises  himself,  his  son  Ishmacl,  and  all 
the  males  in  his  family  i.  58 

is  visited  by  three  angels  59 

is  informed  of  their  secret  intentions  to  destroy 

Sodom  and  Gomorrah  ib. 

intercedes  iu  behalf  of  the  inhabitants  of  those 

cities  C>0 

procures  a  conditional  promise  in  their  favor  ib. 

removes  from  Mamre  to  Gerar  6.1 

again  prevails  with  his  vvife  to  pass  for  his  sister  o-i 

Abimelech,  king  of  Gerar,  orders  Sarah  to  be 
brought  to  him  with  intent  to  make  her  his 
concubine;  but  being  informed  in  a  vision  who 
she  was,  and  that  if  he  defiled  her  he  should 
be  put  to  death,  he  lays  aside  his  intentions, 
sends  for  Abraham,  and,  after  reprimanding 
him  for  carrying  on  a  deception,  dismisses 
them,  and  bestows  on  them  many  valuable 
presents  ib. 

lias  a  sou  by  his  wife  Sarah,  whom  he  calls  Isaac  fi5 

import  of  that  name,  note  ib. 

at  the  instigation  of  his  wife   Sarah  he  turns 

away  Hagar  and  Ishinael  C6 

enters  into  a  league  with  king  Abimelech  (!7 

is  ordered  by  God  to  sacrifice  his  sou,  Isaac  68 

his  various  trials  on  the  occasion  ib. 

he  resolves  to  obey,  and  accordingly  sets  out  for 
Mount  Moriah,  where  he  binds  his  son,  and 
stretches  out  his  hand  to  give  the  blow,  but  is 
prevented  by  a  voice  from  heaven  79 

receives  fresh  assurances  of  the  divine  protection  71 

he  purchases  a  burial-place  for  the  interment  of 

his  wife  Sarah  (  72 

employs  his  steward  to  procure  a  wife  for  his 

son  Isaac  ib. 

marries  Keturah,  by  whom  he  has  six  sons  77 

his  death  and  burial  ib. 

Absalom  revenges  the  injury  done  to  his  sister 
Tamar  by  his  brother-in-law  Amnon,  whom 
he  causes  to  be  murdered  at  a  sheep-shearing 
entertainment  48" 

flies  to  Talmai  king  of  Gesher,  Avith  whom  he 
continues  three  years,  but  at  length  is  restored 
to  his  father's  favor  at  the  instigation  of  Joab  ISS 


VOL. 

PAftg.' 

i. 

49* 

501 

502 

508 

ib. 

3S3  INDEX. 

Absalom  rebels  against  his  father 
gets  possession  of  Jerusalem 
behaves  indecently  to  his  father's  wives 
is  defeated  by  his  father's  army 
the  manner  of  his  death 
Achan  privately  plunders  at  the  siege  of  Jericho, 

contrary  to  the  express  orders  of  Joshua  291 

for  which  he  and  his  family  are  stoned  to  death, 

and  their  bodies  committed  to  the  flames  292 

Achish,  king  of  Gath,  makes  a  present  to  David 

of  the  town  of  Ziglag  for  his  residence  436 

Adam,  his  creation,  IS 

is  formed  out  of  the  dust  of  the  earth  ib. 

description  of  his  naming  the  various  animals, 

from  Milton,  note  ib. 

his  transport  at  the  first  sight  of  Eve  1* 

his  state  of  innocence  16 

his  fall  17 

the  sentence  denounced  against  him  19 

his  expulsion  from  paradise  ib. 

a  list  of  his  posterity  in  the  line  of  Seth  2* 

his  death  25 

Adonijah,  second  son  to  David,  entertains  thoughts 

of  making  himself  king  ii.      29 

makes  a  grand  entertainment  for  Joab,  &c.  in 

hopes  of  being  proclaimed  30 

is  disappointed  by  his  father's  declaration  that 

Solomon  should  be  his  successor  31 

flies  to  the  altar  for  sanctuary  32 

is  pardoned  by  Solomon  on  promising  to  become 

a  loyal  subject  ib. 

but  afterwards,  by  Solomon's  orders,  is  put  to 

death  51 

Adonibezek,  a  principal  leader  of  the  Canaanites, 
is  taken  prisoner  by  the  two  tribes  of  Judah 
and  Simeon,  and  most  of  his  men  cut  to  pieces  i.  30* 
is  punished  by  the  loss  of  his  thumbs  and  great 
toes,  and  then  sent  prisoner  to  Jebus,  where 
he  languishes  some  time  and  then  dies  ib. 

Adonizedek,  the  principal  of  the  five  confederate 
princes  of  the  Canaanites,  is  defeated  by 
Joshua,  taken  prisoner,  and  put  to  death  296 

Adramyttium,  a  sea-port,  its  situation,  &c.  note         iv.     192 
Adullam,  cave  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  i.       421 

Agabus  foretels  a  great  famine  in  many  parts  of 

the  Roman  empire,  which  happens  accordingly    iv.     132 


3S3 

VOL. 

?AGE. 

ii. 

113 

ib. 

1XDEX. 

Ahab  succeeds  Omri  in  the  kingdom  of  Israel 

exceeds  all  his  predecessors  in  wickedness 

rebuilds  Jericho,  upon  which  all  his  sons  die, 
w  hereby  was  fuliilled  the  anathema  denounced 
by  Joshua  114 

has  an  interview  with  the  prophet  Elijah,  and 
upbraids  him  with  being  the  cause  of  the  ca- 
lamities his  nation  suffered  117 

defeats  Benhadad  king  of  Syria  12* 

obtains  another  conquest  over  him,  and  makes  a 

dishonorable  peace  125 

is  threatened  very  severely  for  so  doing  126 

covets  Naboth's  vineyard,  and,  by  means  of  his 

wife  Jezebel,  procures  his  death  12$ 

receives  a  dreadful  denunciation  from  the  proph- 
et Elijah  ib. 

goes  with  Jehoshaphat  king  of  Judah  to  the 
siege  of  Ramoth-Gilead,  where  he  is  mortally 
wounded  by  an  arrow,  and  soon  dies  131 

the  dogs  lick  his  blood,  as  had  been  predicted  by 

the  prophet  Elijah  ib. 

Ahasuerus  (called  also  Artaxerxes  Longimanus) 
succeeds  his  father  Xerxes  on  the  throne  of 
Persia  ii.      334 

makes  a  great  feast  on  the  occasion  ib. 

divorces  his  Queen  Vashti,  and  on  what  account  335 

marries  Hadassah  (afterwards  called  Esther) 

cousin  to  Mordecai  336 

makes  a  decree  for  the  destruction  of  all  the 

Jews,  in  his  dominions  340 

the  decree  rendered  ineffectual,  and  by  what 
means  341 

grants  a  commission  to  Ezra  to  return  to  Jeru- 
salem 409 

his  death  440 

Ahava,  river  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  409 

Ahaz  succeeds  his  father  Jotham  on  the  throne  of 

Judah  220 

is  a  very  wicked  prince  ib. 

is  defeated  by  Rezin  king  of  Syria  in  conjunction 
with  Pekah  king  of  Israel,  and  his  son,  with 
many  of  the  principal  people,  slain  222 

his  mean  submission  to  Tiglath-pileser  king  of 

Assyria  223 


384  INDEX. 

VOL.  PAGE.' 

Ahaz  removes  the  altar  of  the  Lord  from  the  Tem- 
ple, and  places  another  in  its  stead  which  he 
had  sent  from  Damascus  ii.       225 

defaces  the  vessels  of  the  temple,  and  orders  it 

to  be  shut  up  ib. 

dies,  and,  for  his  wickedness,  is  refused  royal  in- 
terment ib. 
Ahaziah  succeeds  his  father  Ahab  in  the  kingdom 

of  Israel  131 

sends  three  different  companies  of  men  to  sieze 
the  prophet  Elijah,  who  are  all  destroyed  by 
fire  from  heaven  138 

receives  a  mortal  wound  from  the  terrace  of  his 

house,  and  soon  after  dies  140 

Ahaziah,  king  of  Judah,  is  slain  by  Jehu's  party 

at  Megiddo  169 

Ahijah  the  prophet  acquaints  Jeroboam  that  he 
shall  succeed  Solomon  in  the  government  of 
ten  tribes  out  of  the  twelve  91 

rends  his  garment  on  the  occasion,  and  why  ib. 

presages  the  death  of  Abijah,  the  son  of  Jere- 

boam  102 

Ahimelech,  priest  of  Nob,  relieves  David  in  his 
distress,  and  for  his  security  presents  him  with 
Goliah's  sword  i.        420 

is  sent  for  by  Saul,  who  orders  him,  with  many 
others  of  the  sacerdotal  order,  to  be  put  to 
death  423 

Ahithophel,  David's  chief  counsellor,  joins  himself 

with  Absalom  in  a  rebellion  against  his  father  495 

gives  his  advice  to  Absalom,  which  being  re- 
fused, he  immediately  goes  home,  settles  his 
affairs,  and  hangs  himself  502 

Ai,  city  of,  taken  and  sacked  by  Joshua  293 

Albinus,  the  Roman  governor  of  Judea,  his  infa- 
mous character  iv.     292 
is  removed  from  his  office  by  order  of  the  em- 
peror Nero  293 
Alexander  the  Great  succeeds  his  father  Philip  in 

the  kingdom  of  Maeedon  ii.     444 

is  made  commander  of  the  Grecian  forces  ib. 

defeats  Darius,  and  takes  his  mother,  wife  and 

children,  prisoners  *&• 

subdues  the  Tyrians  **5 

marches  against  Jerusalem  in  great  anger  ib. 


INDIA  34* 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Alexander  (he  Great  shews  the  high-priest,  and  all 

the  people  the  most  distinguished  respect  ii.       I  k>6 

again  defeats  Darius  <iiS 

is  grieved  for  the  fate  of  Darius,  who  is  mur- 
dered by  two  of  his  own  noblemen  419 

marries  Statira,  the  daughter  of  Darius  450 

dies  with  excessive  drinking  ib. 

Alexander,  eldest  son  of  Aristobulus,  makes  his 

escape  from  Koine  iii.       80 

but  is,  Uy  order  of  Pompcy,  put  to  death  at  An- 

tioch  82 

Alexander  and  Aristobulus,  the  two  sons  of  Herod 
the  Great  by  his  wife  Mariamne,  are  strangled 
at  Sebaste  by  order  of  their  father  141 

Alexander  Zabina,  under  pretence  of  being  the  son 
of  Alexander  Balas,  defeats  Demetrius  in  a 
pitched  battle  and  ascends  his  throne  45 

is  vanquished  by  Antiochus  Gryphus,  son  of  De- 
metrius, and  slain  ib. 
Alexander  Jannscus  succeeds  his  brother  Aristo- 
bulus in  the  government  of  Judea  51 

murders  one  of  his  brothers,  and  why  ib. 

makes  war  with  the  people  of  Ptolemais,  defeats 
them  in  a  pitched  battle,  shuts  them  up  in 
the  eity,  and  lays  close  siege  to  it  ib. 

proves  perfidious  to  Ptolemy  Lathyrus  king  of 

Egypt  54 

is  defeated  by  him,  and  the  greater  part  of  his 

army  cut  to  pieces  55 

makes  an  alliance  with  Cleopatra,  the  mother  of 

Lathyrus  BG 

besieges  Gaza,  takes  it  and  puts  all  the  inhabit- 
ants to  the  sword  57 

is  insulted  by  his  own  subjects,  upon  which  af- 
ter causing  great  numbers  of  them  to  be  put 
to  death,  he  takes  into  pay  auxiliaries  for  the 
security  of  his  person  and  government  59 

takes  most  of  the  places  belonging  to  the  Mo- 
ahites  and  Ammonites,  and  obliges  them  to 
become  his  tributaries  ib, 

on  his  return  to  Jerusalem  his  subjects  fly  into 

open  rebellion  against  him  60 

his  success  against  them,  and  unheard  of  cruelty  62 

his  political  advice  to  his  queen  64 

his  death  65 

voi.  iy.         3   C 


386  INDEX. 


VOL.    PAGE- 


Alexander,  a  son  of  Antiochus  Epiphancs,  lays 

claim  to  the  throne  of  Syria  iii.        17 

forms  an  alliance  with  Jonathan,  the  son  of  Judas 

Maccabeus,  and  constitutes  him  high-priest  18 

defeats  the  army  of  Demetrius,  who  is  slain,  and 
himself  placed  on  the  throne  of  Syria,  by  the 
unanimous  voice  of  the  people  20 

marries   the  daughter  of  Ptolemy  Philometer 

king  of  Egypt  21 

forms  a  plot  against  his  father-in-law's  life  23 

is  defeated,  and  forced  to  fly  into  Arabia,  where 
the  king  of  the  country  cuts  off  his  head,  and 
sends  it  to  Ptolemy  2i 

Alexandra,  wife  of  Alexander  Jannseus,  is  made 
regent  of  Judea,  after  the  death  of  her  hus- 
band 65 

makes  Hyrcanus,  her  eldest  son,  high-priest,  and 

declares  him  her  successor  66 

is  apprehensive  of  being  invaded  by  Tigranes 
king  of  Armenia,  and  sends  him  considerable 
presents  to  avoid  the  consequences  69 

is  greatly  alarmed  at  the  conduct  of  her  younger 

son  Aristobulus  70 

her  death  ib. 

Amalekites,  are  defeated  by  the  Israelites  after 

their  departure  o. it  of  Egypt  i.        221 

God  threatens  to  be  at  war  with  them  from  gen- 
eration to  generation  ib. 

their  descent,  and  the  grounds  of  their  enmity 

against  the  Israelites,  note  ib. 

destroy  the  town  of  Ziglag  belonging  to  David 

in  his  absence,  and  steal  away  his  two  wives  4il 

Amasa,    captain-general    of    David's   forces,    is 
treacherously  murdered  by  Joab,  who  after- 
wards takes  upon  himself  the  chief  command     ii.        14 
Amaziah  succeeds  his  father  Jehoash  in  the  king- 
dom of  Judah  180 

puts  to  death  Zabad  and  Jehozabad,  who  had  as- 
sassinated his  father  181 

marches  against  the  Edomites,  and  gives  them 

battle  in  the  valley  of  Salt  182 

kills  tan  thousand,  and  takes  the  like  number 

prisoners  ib. 

makes  himself  master  of  Salah,  the  metropolis 
of  Arabia  Petrrea,  and  orders  the  prisoners 


INDEX.  387 

VOL.    PACE. 

before  mentioned  to  be  thrown  from  the  top 
of  the  rock  where  the  town  stood  iu      182 

challenges  Joash  king  of  Israel  to  engage  him  in 

a  pitched  hattle  ib. 

his  message  received  with  contempt  ib. 

i>  vanquished  and  taken  prisoner  by  Joash  183 

falls  into   contempt  with,  and  is  privately  mur- 
dered by,  some  of  his  own  subjects  ib. 
Amnion  succeeds   his   father   Mauasseh   on   the 

throne  of  Judah  242 

gives  himself  up  to  all  manner  of  wickedness  ib. 

after  a  reign  of  only  two  years  is   murdered  by 
two  of  his  domestics,  and  his  remains  deposit- 
ed with  those  of  his  father  in  the  garden  of 
TJzzah  ib. 

Ammonites  invade  the  territories  of  the  Israelites, 
whom  they  conquer,  and,  for  some  time,  keep 
in  a  state  of  subjection 
Amnon,  eldest  son  of  David,  falls  desperately  in 
love  with  his  sister  Tamar 
by  a  contrivance  of  his  uncle  Jonadab  he  takes 
the   opportunity   of    forcibly    violating    her 
chastity 
conceives  an  utter  hatred  against  her 
is  assassinated  by  order  of  his  brother  Absalom 
Amos  the  prophet,  when  he  lived  and  the  contents 

of  his  prophecies 
Ananel,  the  high  priest,  is  deposed  by  Herod 
Ananias,  the  high-priest,    orders   his  officers  to 

strike  St.  Paul  on  the  face  iv.     182 

Ananias  and  his  wife  Sapphira,  their  remarkable 
punishment  for  having  deceived  the  Apostle 
Peter  108 

Andrew,  St.  preaches  the  Gospel  in  various  parts  217 

suffers  martyrdom  at  Petrea  in  Achaia  220 

the  form  of  his  cross  very  singular,  and  what  ib. 

Antigonus,  the  son  of  Aristobulus,  marches  with  a 
considerable  army  against  Herod,  but  is  de- 
feated, and  obliged  to  save  himself  by  flight       iii.        9} 
by  the  assistance  of  the  Parthians  he  obtains  the 

kingdom  of  Judea  102 

orders  the  ears  of  Hyrcanus  to  be  cut  off,  in 
order  to  render  him  incapable  of  holding  the 
office  of  high-priest  10* 

Is  besieged  by  Herod  in  Jerusalem  106 


i. 

350 

483 

484 

485 

4S7 

ii. 

200 

iii. 

115 

3S8  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Antigonus  surrenders  himself,  and  implores  mercy 

in  the  most  abject  manner  iii.     112 

is  put  to  death  by  Mark  Antony  at  the  instiga- 
tion of  Herod  113 
Antigonus,  the  brother  of  Aristobulus,  is  perfidious- 
ly murdered,  and  how  50 
Autioch,  city  of,  by  whom  built,  note                          iv.     130 

its  situation,  &c.  ib. 

Antioch  in  Pisidia,  its  situation,  &c.  note  136 

Antiochus  the   Great  makes   himself  master  of 

Ccelo  Syria  and  Palestine  ii.       456 

grants  the  Jews  many  singular  privileges  457 

makes  peace  with  Ptolemy  Epiphanes,  king  of 
Egypt,  and  gives  him  his  daughter  Cleopatra 
in  marriage  ib. 

plunders  the  temple  of  Jupiter  Belus,  for  which 

he  is  assassinated  by  the  people  462 

Ids  character  ib. 

Antiochus  Epiphanes  succeeds  his  father  Antiochus 

the  Great  on  the  throne  of  Syria  464 

deposes  Onias  the  high-priest*  sells  the  Pontifi- 
cate to  his  brother  Jason  first,  and  afterwards 
to  his  brother  Menelaus  465 

engages  in  a  war  with  the  Egyptians  ib. 

lays  siege  to  Jerusalem,  takes  it  by  storm,  puts 
40,000  of  the  inhabitants  to  the  sword,  makes 
the  like  number  captives,  and  sells  them  as 
slaves  to  the  neighboring  nations  466 

profanely  enters  the  temple,  and  takes  away  the 

sacred  vessels  ib. 

compels  the  people  to  practise  idolatry  467 

causes  the  Jews  to  be  persecuted  in  the  most 

severe  manner  throughout  his  dominions  468 

attempts  to  plunder  the  temple  of  Elymais,  but 

is  disappointed,  and  by  what  means  497 

his  exquisite  torments  both  of  body  and  mind  ib. 

his  miserable  death  498 

Antiochus  Eupater  succeeds  his  father  Epiphanes 

in  the  kingdom  of  Syria  499 

being  a  minor  he  is  kept  under  the  tuition  of 

Lysias,  who  usurps  the  title  of  regent  ib. 

sends  a  great  army  into  Judea,  but  is  defeated 
with  a  considerable  loss  by  Judas  Maccabeus, 
.    and  Timotheus  his  general  put  to  death  500 

makes  a  peace  with  Judas  Maccabeus  505 


INDEX* 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Anliochus  is  deposed  by  Demetrius,  the  son  of 
Seleucus  Philoputer,  who  was  the  legal  heir 
to  the  orown  ol*  Syria  iii.         7 

is  put  to  death  by  his  order  ib. 

Antioehus  sou  of  Alexander,  deposes  his  brother 
Demetrius,  and  lakes  possession  of  the  throne 
of  Syria  24 

forms  a  strong  allianee  with  Jonathan,  the  com- 
mander of  the  Jewish  forces  29 

is  basely  murdered  by  Tryphon,  who  had  placed 
him  on  the  throne  and  afterwards  usurped  the 
government  36 

Antioehus  Sidetcs  conquers  Tryphon,  the  usurper 
of  the  Syrian  throne,  and  settles  himself  theuc- 
on  39 

proves  perfidious  to  Simon,  commander  of  the 

Jewish  forces.  ib. 

lays  siege  to  Jerusalem,  and  has  it  surrendered 

to  him  upon  terms  42 

marches  against  the  king  of  Parthia  with  a 
powerful  army,  upon  which  both  he  and  the 
greater  part  of  his  forces  are  cut  off  in  one 
night  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  country  43 

Antipater,  father  of  Herod  the  Great,  is  appoint- 
ed sub-governor  of  Judea  84 

repairs  the  walls  of  Jerusalem  85 

promotes  his  two  sons  Phasael  and  Herod  ib. 

is  a  great  friend  to  Malichus,  who  basely  causes 

him  to  be  poisoned  94 

Antipater,  eldest  son  to  Herod  the  Great,  forms  a 
conspiracy  against  the  life  of  his  father,  for 
which  he  is  brought  to  trial,  condemned,  and 
put  to  death  142 

Antipatris,  city  of,  its  situation,  6cc.  note  iv.     184 

Antony,  Mark,  defeats  Brutus  and  Cassius  at  Phi- 

lippi  iii.        98 

makes  Herod  and  his  brother  Phasael  tetrarchs 
and  commits  all  the  affairs  of  Judea  to  their 
administration  101 

obtains  for  Herod,  with  the  assistance  of  Augus- 
tus, a  grant  of  the  kingdom  of  Judea  from  the 
senate  of  Rome  106 

is  opposed  by  Antigonus,  and  but  badly  assisted 

by  the  Romans  ib. 

shews  Herod  the  greatest  marks  of  friendship 

and  esteem  10 S 


390  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE,' 

Antony  Mark,  hastens  into  Egypt  to  pay  a  visit 

to  Cleopatra,  the  then  queen  of  that  country     iii.     108 
a  great  breach  happens  between  him  and  Octa- 

vianus  120 

is  defeated  at  the  battle  of  Actinni  128 

his  death  133 

Aphek,  city  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  ii.      125 

Apollos,  his  preaching  in  the  churches  of  Ephesus 

and  Corinth  iv.     163 

Apostles,  those  of  our  Blessed  Saviour,  their  elec- 
tion, and  who  they  were  iii.     367 
their  return  to  Jerusalem:  after  our  Lord's  as- 
cension iv.       98 
elect  Matthias  iuto  their  number  instead  of  the 

perfidious  Judas,  who  had  hanged  himself  99 

are  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost  100 

convert  great  numbers  to  the  faith  of  Christ  103 

and  perform  many  miracles  ib. 

Appeals,  the  manner  and  use  of  them  among  the 

Romans  r188 

Appii-Forum,  an  ancient  city  of  the  Volsci,  its 

situation,  and  why  so  called,  note  197 

Ararat,  the  mountain  on  which  Noah's  Ark  rested 

after  the  flood,  its  situation  described,  note  i.         29 

Archelaus  succeeds  his  father  Herod,  and  follows 
his  steps  so  closely  that  he  renders  himself 
odious  to  the  Jews  iii.     333 

is  complained  of  to  Augustus  ib. 

is,  upon  a  full  hearing,  deprived  of  his  govern- 
ment, and  banished  ib. 
Areopagus,  a  celebrated  court  at  Athens,  note           iv.      157 
Aristobulus  (the  eldest  son  of  Hyrcanus)  succeeds 
his  father  Hyrcanus  in  the  high-priesthood  and 
government  of  the  Jews,  and  in  a  formal  man- 
ner takes  upon  himself  the  title  of  king                iii.      48 
is  of  a  cruel  and  suspicious  temper  ib. 
puts  his  mother  into  prison,  and  starves  her  to 

death  ib. 

engages  in  a  war  with  the  Iturseans,  subdues 
them,  and  obliges  them  to  become  proselytes  to 
the  Jewish  religion  49 

puts  to  death  his  favorite  brother  Antigonus,  and 

why  50 

Dies  in  the  utmost  agonies  both  of  body  and 
mind,  and  is  succeeded  by  his  brother  Alexan- 
der Jannseus  51 


INDEX.  3<ji 

VOL.    PAGE. 

his  distemper  what,  as  related  by  Josephus,  note     iii.      60 
Aristobulus,  the  younger  son  of  Jannjeus,  heads  a 

party  against  the  Jews  70 

meets  his  brother  Ilyreanus  at  Jericho,  and 
enters  into  a  treaty  with  him,  by  which  he 
obliges  him  to  resign  both  his  crown  and  high- 
priesthood  71 

is  afterwards  defeated  by  Aretas,  king  of  Arabia, 

and  pursued  to  Jerusalem  72 

obliges  Aretas  to  raise  the  siege,  and  destroys 

seven  thousand  of  his  men  73 

pleads  his  cause  before  Pompey  74 

takes  up  arms  against  him  76 

surrenders  himself  up,  and  is  put  in  chains  77 

is  carried  captive,  with  two  of  his  sons  and  two 

of  his  daughters  to  Rome  78 

finds  means  to  make  his  escape,  and  raises  fresh 

disturbances  §0 

miscarries  in  his  undertaking,  and  is  again  sent 

prisoner  to  Rome  81 

is  set  at  liberty  by  Csesar,  but  soon  after  poisoned 

by  some  of  Pompey's  party  ib. 

Ark,  Noah's,  its  form  and  dimensions  i.         27 

the  things  to  be  taken  into  it,  what  ib. 

after  the  flood  it  rests   on   the  mountains   of 

Ararat  29 

Ark  of  the  Covenant,  what  230 

Ark  of  the  Lord  is  taken  by  the  Philistines  337 

is  carried  in  triumph  to  Ashdod,  and  placed  in 

the  temple  of  the  Idol  Dagon  378 

the  downfal  of  Dagon  thereupon  ib- 

is afterwards  carried  from  one  place  to  another  379 

is  sent  back  to  Judea,  and  in  what  manner  381 

seventy  Bethshemites,  presuming  to  look  into  it 
contrary  to  the  Divine  command,  are  sudden- 
ly struck  dead  ib. 

is  conveyed  to  Kirjath-jearim,  and  placed  in  the 

house  of  one  Abinadab,  a  Levite  382 

is  removed  from  thence  to  Jerusalem  461 

Armor,  that  of  Saul's  after  his  death  is  placed  by 
the  Philistines  in  the  temple  of  their  idol  Ash- 
taroth  4i4 

Arphaxed,  king  of  Media,  is  defeated  by  Nebu- 
chadnezzar king  of  Babylon,  and  loses  Eeba- 
tane,  the  royal  seat  of  his  empire  ii.      26  i 


325 


303  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE* 

Arsaces  succeeds  his  father  Darius  Nothus  on  the 

throne  of  Persia  ii.      4>^0 

engages  his  younger  brother  Cyrus,  defeats  his 

army  and  kills  him  in  battle  ib. 

his  death  *il 

Artaxerxes  succeeds  Cambyses  in  the  Persian  em- 
pire 

is  applied  to  by  the  Samaritans  to  stop  the  re- 
building of  the  temple  at  Jerusalem  ib. 
gives  them  a  favorable  answer                                            326 
dies  after  reigning  only  one  year  ib. 
Asa  succeeds  his  father  Abijam  in  the  kingdom  of 

Judah  105 

begins  his  reign  with  endeavoring  to  root  out 

idolatry  from  among  his  people  ib. 

fortifies  several  cities  on  the  frontier  parts  of 

his  kingdom  106 

defeats  Terah,  king  of  Ethiopia  ib. 

destroys  all  the  idols,  not  only  in  Judah  and 
Benjamin,  but  in  all  the  places  he  had  sub- 
dued 107 
removes    Maachah,    his    grand-mother,    from 
court,  on  account  of  her  being  a  patroness  of 
idolatry  ib. 
engages  the  assistance   of  Benhadad,  king  of 

Syria,  against  Baasha,  king  of  Israel 
is  reproved  for  so  doing  by  the  prophet  Hanani 
grows  peevish  and  passionate  towards   the  close 
of  his  reign 
his  death 
Ascension  of  our  Blessed  Saviour 
Askelon,  city  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note 
Assos,  a  sea-port  town,  its  situation,  &c.  note 
Astronomers  of  the  East,  their  arrival  at  Jerusa- 
lem, and  for  what  purpose  iii.     328 
their  dismission  from  thence,  and  progress  to 

Bethlehem,  to  find  out  the  child  Jesus  329 

their  adoration  and  oblations  on  their  first  sight 

of  the  Blessed  Infant  ib. 

their  return  home  another  way,  and  why  330 

Alhaliah,   after  the  death  of  her  son  Ahaziah, 

usurps  the  throne  of  Judah  ii.      169 

cuts  off  all  the  royal  family,  except  Jehoash, 

who  was  concealed  for  six  years  175 

is  put  to  death  bv  order  of  Jehoiada  the  high- 
priest  176 


108 

109 

ib. 

ib. 

iv. 

79 

i. 

361 

iv. 

173 

INDEX.  385 

VOL.    PACK. 

Alexander  the  Great  shews  the  high-priest,  and  all 

the  people  the  most  distinguished  respect  ii.      4i-6 

again  defeats  Darius  448 

is  grieved  lor  the  fate  of  Darius,  who  is  mur- 
dered by  two  of  his  own  noblemen  449 

marries  Statira,  the  daughter  of  Darius  450 

dies  with  excessive  drinking  ib. 

Alexander,  eldest  son  of  Aristobulus,  makes  his 

escape  from  Rome  iii.       80 

but  is,  by  order  of  Pompcy,  put  to  death  at  An- 

tioch  82 

Alexander  and  Aristobulus,  the  two  sons  of  Herod 
the  Great  by  his  w  ife  Mariamne,  arc  strangled 
at  Sebaste  by  order  of  their  father  141 

Alexander  Zabina,  under  pretence  of  being  the  son 
of  Alexander  Balas,  defeats  Demetrius  in  a 
pitched  battle  and  ascends  his  throne  45 

is  vanquished  by  Antiochus  Gryphus,  son  of  De- 
metrius, and  slain  ib. 
Alexander  Janurcus  succeeds  his  brother  Aristo- 
bulus in  the  government  of  Judea  51 

murders  one  of  his  brothers,  and  why  ib. 

makes  war  with  the  people  of  Ptolemais,  defeats 
them  in  a  pitched  battle,  shuts  them  up  in 
the  city,  and  lays  close  siege  to  it  ib. 

proves  perfidious  to  Ptolemy  Lathyrus  king  of 

Egypt  54 

is  defeated  by  him,  and  the  greater  part  of  his 

army  cut  to  pieces  Bh 

makes  an  alliance  with  Cleopatra,  the  mother  of 

Lathyrus  56 

besieges  Gaza,  takes  it  and  puts  all  the  inhabit- 
ants to  the  sword  57 

is  insulted  by  his  own  subjects,  upon  which  af- 
ter causing  great  numbers  of  them  to  be  put 
to  death,  he  takes  into  pay  auxiliaries  for  the 
security  of  his  person  and  government  59 

takes  most  of  the  places  belonging  to  the  Mo- 
abites  and  Ammonites,  and  obliges  them  to 
become  his  tributaries  ib. 

on  his  return  to  Jerusalem  his  subjects  fly  into 

open  rebellion  against  him  60 

his  success  against  them,  and  unheard  of  cruelty  62 

his  political  advice  to  his  queen  64 

his  death  ^5 

vol.  iv.         3   C 


386  index; 


VOL.    PAGE, 


Alexander,  a  son  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  lays 

claim  to  the  throne  of  Syria  iii.        17 

forms  an  alliance  with  Jonathan,  the  son  of  Judas 

Maccabeus,  and  constitutes  him  high-priest  18 

defeats  the  army  of  Demetrius,  who  is  slain,  and 
himself  placed  on  the  throne  of  Syria,  by  the 
unanimous  voice  of  the  people  20 

marries   the  daughter  of  Ptolemy  Philometer 

king  of  Egypt  21 

forms  a  plot  against  his  father-in-law's  life  23 

is  defeated,  and  forced  to  fly  into  Arabia,  where 
the  king  of  the  country  cuts  off  his  head,  and 
sends  it  to  Ptolemy  2* 

Alexandra,  Avife  of  Alexander  Jannseus,  is  made 
regent  of  Judea,  after  the  death  of  her  hus- 
band 65 

makes  Hyrcanus,  her  eldest  son,  high-priest,  and 

declares  him  her  successor  66 

is  apprehensive  of  being  invaded  by  Tigranes 
king  of  Armenia,  and  sends  him  considerable 
presents  to  avoid  the  consequences  69 

.  is  greatly  alarmed  at  the  conduct  of  her  younger 

son  Aristobulus  70 

her  death  ib. 

Amalekites,  are  defeated  by  the  Israelites  after 

their  departure  out  of  Egypt  i.        221 

God  threatens  to  be  at  war  with  them  from  gen- 
eration to  generation  ib. 

their  descent,  and  the  grounds  of  their  enmity 

against  the  Israelites,  note  ib. 

destroy  the  town  of  Ziglag  belonging  to  David 

in  his  absence,  and  steal  away  his  two  wives  441 

Amasa,    captain-general    of    David's   forces,    is 
treacherously  murdered  by  Joab,  who  after- 
wards takes  upon  himself  the  chief  command     ii.        14 
Amaziah  succeeds  his  father  Jehoash  in  the  king- 
dom of  Judah  ISO 

puts  to  death  Zabad  and  Jebozabad,  who  had  as- 
sassinated his  father  181 

marches  against  the  Edomites,  and  gives  them 

battle  in  the  valley  of  Salt  182 

kills  ten  thousand,  and  takes  the  like  number 

prisoners  ib. 

makes  hhnsclf  master  of  Salah,  the  metropolis 

-     of  Arabia  Petnea,  and  orders  the  prisoners 


INDIA 

VOL.    PAGE. 

before  mentioned  to  be  thrown  from  the  top 
of  (he  rock  where  the  town  stood  ii.      183 

challenges  Joash  king  of  Israel  to  engage  him  in 

a  pitched  battle  ib. 

his  message  received  with  contempt  ib. 

is  vanquished  and  taken  prisoner  by  Joash  183 

falls  into  contempt  with,  and  is  privately  mur- 
dered by,  some  of  his  own  subjects  ib. 
Amnion  succeeds   his   father   Manassch  on   the 

throne  of  Judah  242 

gives  himself  up  to  all  manner  of  wickedness  ib. 

after  a  reign  of  only  two  years  is   murdered  by 
two  of  his  domestics,  and  his  remains  deposit- 
ed with  those  of  his  father  in  the  garden  of 
Uzzah  ib. 

Ammonites  invade  the  territories  of  the  Israelites, 
whom  they  conquer,  and,  for  some  time,  keep 
in  a  state  of  subjection 
Amnon,  eldest  son  of  David,  falls  desperately  in 
love  with  his  sister  Tamar 
by  a  contrivance  of  his  uncle  Jonadab  he  takes 
the   opportunity   of    forcibly    violating    her 
chastity 
conceives  an  utter  hatred  against  her 
is  assassinated  by  order  of  his  brother  Absalom 
Amos  the  prophet,  when  he  lived  and  the  contents 

of  his  prophecies 
Ananel.  the  high -priest,  is  deposed  by  Herod 
Ananias,   the  high-priest,    orders   his  officers  to 

strike  St.  Paul  on  the  face  iv.     182 

Ananias  and  his  wife  Sapphira,  their  remarkable 
punishment  for  having  deceived  the  Apostle 
Peter  10S 

Andrew,  St.  preaches  the  Gospel  in  various  parts  217 

suffers  martyrdom  at  Petrea  in  Achaia  220 

the  form  of  his  cross  very  singular,  and  what  ib, 

Antigonus,  the  son  of  Aristobulus,  marches  with  a 
considerable  army  against  Herod,  but  is  de- 
feated, and  obliged  to  save  himself  by  flight       iii.        97 
by  the  assistance  of  theParthians  he  obtains  the 

kingdom  of  Judea  102 

orders  the  ears  of  Hyreanus  to  be  cut  off,  in 
order  to  render  him  incapable  of  holding  the 
office  of  high-priest  104 

is  besieged  by  Herod  in  Jerusalem  106 


i. 

350 

483 

484 

485 

487 

ii. 

200 

iii. 

115 

388  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Antlgonus  surrenders  himself,  and  implores  mercy 

in  the  most  abject  manner  iii.     112 

is  put  to  death  by  Mark  Antony  at  the  instiga- 
tion of  Herod  113 
Antigonus,  the  brother  of  Aristobulus,  is  perfidious- 
ly murdered,  and  how  50 
Antioch,  city  of,  by  whoni  built,  note                           iv.      130 

its  situation,  &c.  ih. 

Antioch  in  Pisidia,  its  situation,  &c.  note  136 

Antiochus  the   Great  makes   himself  master  of 

Ccelo  Syria  and  Palestine  ii.       456 

grants  the  Jews  many  singular  privileges  457 

makes  peace  with  Ptolemy  Epiphanes,  king  of 
Egypt,  and  gives  him  his  daughter  Cleopatra 
in  marriage  ib. 

plunders  the  temple  of  Jupiter  Belus,  for  which 

he  is  assassinated  by  the  people  462 

liis  character  ib. 

Antiochus  Epiphanes  succeeds  his  father  Antiochus 

the  Great  on  the  throne  of  Syria  46  i 

deposes  Onias  the  high-priest,  sells  the  Pontifi- 
cate to  his  brother  Jason  first,  and  afterwards 
to  his  brother  Menelaus  465 

engages  in  a  war  with  the  Egyptians  ib. 

lays  siege  to  Jerusalem,  takes  it  by  storm,  puts 
40,000  of  the  inhabitants  to  the  sword,  makes 
the  like  number  captives,  and  sells  them  as 
slaves  to  the  neighboring  nations  466 

profanely  enters  the  temple,  and  takes  away  the 

sacred  vessels  ib. 

compels  the  people  to  practise  idolatry  467 

causes  the  Jews  to  be  persecuted  in  the  most 

severe  manner  throughout  his  dominions  468 

attempts  (o  plunder  the  temple  of  Elymais,  but 

is  disappointed,  and  by  what  means  497 

his  exquisite  torments  both  of  body  and  mind  ib. 

his  miserable  death  498 

Antiochus  Eupater  succeeds  his  father  Epiphanes 

in  the  kingdom  of  Syria  499 

being  a  minor  he  is  kept  under  the  tuition  of 

Lysias,  who  usurps  the  title  of  regent  ib. 

sends  a  great  army  into  Judea,  but  is  defeated 
with  a  considerable  loss  by  Judas  Maccabeus, 
and  Timotheus  his  general  put  to  death  500 

makes  a  peace  with  Judas  Maccabeus  505 


INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGK. 

Antioclius  is  deposed  by  Demetrius,  the  son  of 
Seleucus  Philopatrr,  who  was  the  legal  heir 
to  the  crown  of  Syria  iii.         7 

is  put  to  death  by  his  order  ih. 

Antioclius  son  of  Alexander,  deposes  his  brother 
Demetrius,  and  takes  possession  of  the  throne 
of  Syria  24 

forms  a  strong  alliance  with  Jonathan,  the  com- 
mander of  the  Jewish  forces  29 

is  basely  murdered  by  Tryphon,  who  had  placed 
him  on  the  throne  and  afterwards  usurped  the 
government  36 

Antioclius  Sidetes  conquers*  Tryphon,  the  usurper 
of  the  Syrian  throne,  and  settles  himself  there- 
on 39 

proves  perfidious  to  Simon,  commander  of  the 

Jewish  forces.  ib. 

lays  siege  to  Jerusalem,  and  has  it  surrendered 

to  him  upon  terms  42 

marches  against  the  king  of  Parthia  with  a 
powerful  army,  upon  which  both  he  and  the 
greater  part  of  his  forces  are  cut  off  in  one 
night  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  country  43 

Antipater,  father  of  Herod  the  Great,  is  appoint- 
ed sub-governor  of  Judea  84 

repairs  the  walls  of  Jerusalem  85 

promotes  his  two  sons  Phasael  and  Herod  ib. 

is  a  great  friend  to  Malichus,  who  basely  causes 

him  to  be  poisoned  94 

Antipater,  eldest  son  to  Herod  the  Great,  forms  a 
conspiracy  against  the  life  of  his  father,  for 
which  he  is  brought  to  trial,  condemned,  and 
put  to  death  142 

Antipatris,  city  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  iv.     184 

Antony,  Mark,  defeats  Brutus  and  Cassius  at  Phi- 

lippi  iii.        98 

makes  Herod  and  his  brother  Phasael  tetrarchs 
and  commits  all  the  affairs  of  Judea  to  their 
administration  101 

obtains  for  Herod,  with  the  assistance  of  Augus- 
tus, a  grant  of  the  kingdom  of  Judea  from  the 
senate  of  Home  106 

is  opposed  by  Antigonus,  and  but  badly  assisted 

by  the  Romans  ib. 

shews  Herod  the  greatest  marks  of  friendship 

and  esteem  108 


390  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE, 

Antony  Mark,  hastens  into  Egypt  to  pay  a  visit 

to  Cleopatra,  the  then  queen  of  that  country    iii.     10S 
a  great  breach  happens  between  him  and  Octa- 

vianus  120 

is  defeated  at  the  battle  of  Actiuni  126 

his  death  ^33 

Aphek,  city  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  ii.      125 

Apollos,  his  preaching  in  the  churches  of  Ephesus 

and  Corinth  jv.     163 

Apostles,  those  of  our  Blessed  Saviour,  their  elec- 
tion, and  who  they  were  iii.     367 
their  return  to  Jerusalem  after  our  Lord's  as- 
cension jVe       98 
elect  Matthias  into  their  number  instead  of  the 

perfidious  Judas,  who  had  hanged  himself  99 

are  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost  100 

convert  great  numbers  to  the  faith  of  Christ  103 

and  perform  many  miracles  ib. 

Appeals,  the  manner  and  use  of  them  among  the 

Romans  '188 

Appii-Forum,  an  ancient  city  of  the  Volsci,  its 

situation,  and  why  so  called,  note  197 

Ararat,  the  mountain  on  which  Noah's  Ark  rested 

after  the  flood,  its  situation  described,  note  i.         29 

Archelaus  succeeds  his  father  Herod,  and  follows 
his  steps  so  closely  that  he  renders  himself 
odious  to  the  Jews  iii.     333 

is  complained  of  to  Augustus  ib. 

is,  upon  a  full  hearing,  deprived  of  his  govern- 
ment, and  banished  ib. 
Areopagus,  a  celebrated  court  at  Athens,  note           iv.      157 
Aristobulus  (the  eldest  son  of  Hyrcanus)  succeeds 
his  father  Hyrcanus  in  the  high-priesthood  and 
government  of  the  Jews,  and  in  a  formal  man- 
ner takes  upon  himself  the  title  of  king                iii.      48 
is  of  a  cruel  and  suspicious  temper  ib. 
puts  his  mother  into  prison,  and  starves  her  to 

death  ib. 

engages  in  a  war  with  the  Iturreans,  subdues 
them,  and  obliges  them  to  become  proselytes  to 
the  Jewish  religion  49 

puts  to  death  his  favorite  brother  Antigonus,  and 

why  50 

Dies  in  the  utmost  agonies  both  of  body  and 
mind,  and  is  succeeded  by  his  brother  Alexan- 
der Jannseus  51 


INDEX,  8»1 

VOL.    PAGE. 

his  distemper  what,  as  related  by  Joscphus,  note     iii.      50 
Aristobulus,  (he  younger  son  of  Janmeus,  heads  a 

party  against  the  Jews  70 

meets  his  brother  Hy  re  anus  at  Jericho,  and 
enters  into  a  treaty  with  him,  by  which  he 
obliges  him  to  resign  both  his  crown  and  high- 
priesthood  71 

is  afterwards  defeated  by  Aretas,  Ling  of  Arabia, 

and  pursued  to  Jerusalem  72 

obliges  Aretas  to  raise  the  siege,  and  destroys 

seven  thousand  of  his  men  73 

pleads  his  cause  before  Pompey  7* 

takes  up  arms  against  him  76 

surrenders  himself  up,  and  is  put  in  chains  77 

is  carried  captive,  with  two  of  his  sons  and  two 

of  his  daughters  to  Rome  78 

finds  means  to  make  his  escape,  and  raises  fresh 

disturbances  80 

miscarries  in  his  undertaking,  and  is  again  sent 

prisoner  to  Rome  81 

is  set  at  liberty  by  Csesar,  but  soon  after  poisoned 

by  some  of  Pompey's  party  ib. 

Ark,  Noah's,  its  form  and  dimensions  i.         27 

the  things  to  be  taken  into  it,  what  ib. 

after  the  flood  it  rests   on   the  mountains   of 

Ararat  29 

Ark  of  the  Covenant,  what  230 

Ark  of  the  Lord  is  taken  by  the  Philistines  337 

is  carried  in  triumph  to  Ashdod,  and  placed  in 

the  temple  of  the  Idol  Dagon  37$ 

the  downfal  of  Dagon  thereupon  ib* 

is  afterwards  carried  from  one  place  to  another  379 

is  sent  back  to  Judea,  and  in  what  manner  381 

seventy  Bethshemites,  presuming  to  look  into  it 
contrary  to  the  Divine  command,  are  sudden- 
ly struck  dead  ib. 

is  conveyed  to  Kirjath-jearim,  and  placed  in  the 

house  of  one  Abinadab,  a  Levite  382 

is  removed  from  thence  to  Jerusalem  46*1 

Armor,  that  of  Saul's  after  his  death  is  placed  by 
the  Philistines  in  the  temple  of  their  idol  Ash- 
taroth  4  i4 

Arphaxed,  king  of  Media,  is  defeated  by  Nebu- 
chadnezzar king  of  Babylon,  and  loses  Ecba- 
tane,  the  royal  seat  of  his  empire  ii.      264 


325 


3M  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Arsaces  succeeds  his  father  Darius  Nothus  on  the 

throne  of  Persia  ii.      **0 

engages  his  younger  brother  Cyrus,  defeats  his 

army  and  kills  him  in  battle  ib. 

his  death  *4i 

Artaxerxes  succeeds  Cambyses  in  the  Persian  em- 
pire 

is  applied  to  by  the  Samaritans  to  stop  the  re- 
building of  the  temple  at  Jerusalem  ib. 
gives  them  a  favorable  answer                                           326 
dies  after  reigning  only  one  year  ib. 
Asa  succeeds  his  father  Abijam  in  the  kingdom  of 

Judah  105 

begins  his  reign  with  endeavoring  to  root  out 

idolatry  from  among  his  people  ib. 

fortifies  several  cities  on  the  frontier  parts  of 

his  kingdom  106 

defeats  Terah,  king  of  Ethiopia  ib. 

destroys  all  the  idols,  not  only  in  Judah  and 
Benjamin,  but  in  all  the  places  he  had  sub- 
dued 107 
removes    Maachah,    his    grand-mother,    from 
court,  on  account  of  her  being  a  patroness  of 
idolatry  ib. 
engages  the  assistance   of  Benhadad,  king  of 

Syria,  against  Baasha,  king  of  Israel 
is  reproved  for  so  doing  by  the  prophet  Ilanani 
grows  peevish  and  passionate  towards   the  close 
of  his  reign 
his  death 
Ascension  of  our  Blessed  Saviour 
Askelon,  city  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note 
Assos,  a  sea-port  town,  its  situation,  &c.  note 
Astronomers  of  the  East,  their  arrival  at  Jerusa- 
lem, and  for  what  purpose  iii.     328 
their  dismission  from  thence,  and  progress  to 

Bethlehem,  to  find  out  the  child  Jesus  329 

their  adoration  and  oblations  on  their  first  sight 

of  the  Blessed  Infant  ib. 

their  return  home  another  way,  and  why  330 

Athaliah,   after  the   death  of  her  son  Ahaziah, 

usurps  the  throne  of  Judah  ii.      169 

cuts  off  all  the  royal  family,  except  Jehoash, 

who  was  concealed  for  six  years  175 

is  put  to  death  by  order  of  Jchoiada  the  high- 
priest  176 


109 

ib. 

ib. 

iv. 

79 

i. 

361 

iv. 

173 

IXDEX.  303 

AOL.    PAGE. 

Athens,  city  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  iv.     156 

B 

Baal  Peor,  an  idol  of  the  Moahites,  supposed  to 
be  the  same  with  Priapus,  and  wherein  the 
worship  of  it  principally  consisted  i.        268 

Baalzcbub,  the  god  of  Ekron,  import  of  the  term, 

and  by  whom  so  called  ii.       137 

Baasha  kills  Nadab  king  of  Israel,  and  usurps  the 

government  109 

to  suppport  himself  therein,  he  puts  all  the  rela- 
tions of  his  predecessors  to  death  ib. 

he  is  threatened  by  the  prophet  Jehu  for  his 

wickedness  ib. 

reigns  twenty-four  years,  and  then  dies  110 

Babel,  town  of,  begun  to  be  erected  by  the  descend- 
ants of  Noah  i.         35 

is  stopped,  and  their  intentions  of  finishing  it  de- 
feated by  the  interposition  of  providence  ib. 

the  manner  in  which  this  was  effected  ib. 

the  place  afterwards  called  Babylon  36 

the  dimensions  of  the  tower  described,  with  the 

supposed  manner  of  its  destruction  ib. 

Babylon,  by  whom  built,  note  40 

description  of  the  city  and  its  walls  ib. 

its  dimensions  ib. 

its  hanging  gardens  ib. 

the  temple  of  Belus  ib. 

its  gradual  reduction,  and  present  state  42 

Babylonish  Captivity,  some  reflections  on  the  cause 

of  it  ii.     812 

Baechides  is  ordered  by  Demetrius  to  march  with 

an  army  into  Judea  iii»        8 

overpowers  and  slays  Judas  Maccabeus  14 

pursues  Jonathan,  the  brother  and  successor  of 

Judas  15 

goes  to  Jerusalem,  and  fortifies  mount  Acra  and 

the  adjacent  towns  ib. 

enters  into  a  treaty  of  peace  with  Jonathan,  and 

returns  to  Syria  16 

Bagoas,  a  favorite  eunuch  of  Ochus  king  of  Persia, 

poisons  his  master  ii»     442 

places  another  of  the  same  name  on  the  throne, 
and  prepares  a  cup  of  poison  for  him  also,  but 
being  detected  is  obliged  to  swallow  it  himself  ib, 

vol.  iv.         3  D 


894  INDEX. 

vol.  page;? 
Balaam  is  sent  for  by  Balak,  king  of  the  Moabites 

and  for  what  purpose  i.      161 

begs  leave  of  God  to  go,  who  complies  with  his 

request,  but  under  certain  restrictions  263 

is  met  by  an  angel  on  the  road,  and  reproved  by 

his  ass  ib. 

is  received  courteously  by  Balak  264 

acquaints  the  king  that  it  was  impossible  for  him 
to  curse  the  Israelites,  and  wishes  that  their 
fate  might  be  his  264 

his  prophecies  concerning  them  265 

his  wicked  device  to  make  ths  Israelites  guilty 

of  whoredom  and  idolatry  267 

is  cut  off  with  five  kings,  &c.  270 

Balak,  king  of  the  Moabites,  is  greatly  alarmed  at 

the  approach  of  the  Israelites  261 

forms  an  alliance  with  the  Midianites  ib. 

sends  several  costly  presents  to  Balaam  the 
prophet,  and  for  what  purpose  262 

receives  him  very  courteously  264 

is  greatly  enraged  against  him  for  blessing  the 

Israelites,  instead  of  cursing  them  265 

Barak,  tbe  son  of  Abinoam,  and  general  of  the 
Israelites,  defeats  Sisera,  with  all  his  numer- 
ous army  223 
Barnabas,  a  good  and  pious  man,  is  sent  from  Je- 
rusalem by  the  apostles  to  Antioch,  to  assist 
the  disciples  there  in  propagating  the  gospel       iv.    131 

is  appointed  to  go  with  Paul,  and  preach  to  the 

Gentiles  135 

is  taken  for  the  god  Jupiter  at  Lystra,  and  waited 
on  by  the  priest  of  that  deity  with  oxen  adorn- 
ed with  garlands  141 

is  sent  with  Paul  from  Antioch  to  Jerusalem,  in 
order  to  settle  a  controversy  relative  to  circum- 
cision 1-14' 

is  sent  back  to  Antioch  with  the  decree  of  the 

council,  and  the  contents  thereof  146 

parts  with  Paul  at  Antioch,  and  goes  to  Cyprus 

his  native  country  148 

Bartholomew  the  apostle  propagates  Christianity 

with  great  success  in  the  Hither  India  230 

suffers   martyrdom   at  Albania,  a  city  on   the 

Caspian  sea  231 

Baruch,  amanuensis  to  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  who 

he  was,  note  ii«    2$* 


INDEX  395 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Baruch,  account  of  the  book  so  called  ii.     255 

Barzillai,   the  Gilcadite,   is  very  kind  to  king 

David  during  his  exile  i.      506 

is  invited,  upon  the  king's  restoration,  to  go  with 
him  to  Jerusalem,  but  desires  to  be  excused  on 
account  of  his  old  age  ii.       10 

Bashau,  a  famous  mountain  so  called,  its  situation, 

&c.  note  i.      260 

Bathshcba,    wife   of  Uriah,   after  her   husband's 

death,  is  married  to  David  472 

Beer,  city  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  344 

Beer-lai-hai-roi,  what,  and  why  so  culled  56 

Beersheba,  import  of  the  term,  note  6? 

Belshazzar  succeeds  Laborosoarchad  in  the  king- 
dom of  Babylon  ii.      305 
is  defeated  by  Cyrus,  and  shut  up  in  his  own  city  306 
profanes  the  vessels  of  the  temple  in  his  banquel- 

ting-houae  ib. 

is  terrified  at  a  hand-writing  on  the  wall,  which 

is  explained  by  Daniel  ib. 

on  the  city's  being  taken  by  Cyrus,  he  is  slain, 
and  the  kingdom  translated  to  Cyaxares, 
whom  the  scriptures  call  Darius  the  Mede  307 

Bclus,  temple  of,  in  Babylon,  supposed  to  be  the 

remains  of  the  tower  ot  Babel,  note  i.        -40 

Benhadad,  king  of  Syria,  marches  with  a  consider- 
able army  against  Ahab  king  of  Israel,  but  is 
defeated,  and  great  numbers  of  his  people  slain    ii.     122 
is  again  defeated,  and  makes  peace  with  Ahab  125 

sends  a  strong  detachment  to  Dothan,  in  order 
to  seize  the  prophet  Elisha,  but  his  officers  are 
bewildered,  struck  blind,  aud  led  into  the 
midst  of  Samaria  160 

lays  siege  to  Samaria,   and   greatly  distresses 

the  people  of  that  place  161 

suddenly  raises  the  siege,  and  departs  with  his 

whole  army  163 

is  assassinated  by  Hazael,  one  of  his  prime  min- 
isters, who  succeeds  him  on  the  throne  166 
Benjamites,  their  war  with  the  other  tribes,  and 

the  unhappy  cause  of  it  i.       313 

are  charged  so  furiously  by  the  Israelitish  army, 

that  only  six  hundred  of  them  make  their  escape  315 

the  manner  in  which  the  tribe  was  afterwards  re- 
cruitcd  S17 


VOL. 

PAGE. 

i. 

Ill 

il>. 

ib- 

91 

ib. 

iii 

.  360 

ib. 

896  INDEX, 

Benoni,  the  last  son  of  Jacob  by  Rachel,  import  of 
the  term 
is    called    Benjamin  by   his  father,    after   his 

mother's  decease,  and  why 
import  of  that  term 
Bethel,  its  situation,  note 

import  of  the  name 
Bethesda,  pool  of,  import  of  the  name 
description  of 
miraculous  cure  performed  at  by  our  Blessed 

Saviour  361 

Bethshemites,  seventy^of  them,  for  presuming  to 
look  into  the  ark  of  the  Lord,  are  suddenly 
struck  dead 
Bethulia,  siege  of 
Bilhah  becomes  concubinary  wife  to  Jacob,  and  has 

two  children  by  him 
Birth-right,  the  various  privileges  annexed  to  it,  note 
what  Esau  parted  with  when  he  sold  his  to  his 
brother  Jacob 
Bithynia,  a  province  of  Asia  Minor,  from  whence 

it  received  its  name,  note 
Blasphemer  ordered  to  be  stoned  to  death 
Boils,  plague  of  in  Egypt 
Bread,  unleavened,  no  other  sort  used  during  the 

feast  of  the  passoYer,  and  the  reason  why  198 

C 

Csesar,  Julius,  is  murdered  in  the  senate-house  at 

Rome,  and  by  whom  iii.       92 

Csesarea  Philippi,  its  situation,  &c.  note  407 

Cain,  birth  of  i.         20 

import  of  his  name,  note  ib. 

his  disposition  and  employment  in  life  ib. 

is  incensed  against  his  brother,  and  treacherously 

kills  him  21 

is  called  to  account  for  his  conduct  by  his  Maker, 
from  whom  he  receives  a  distinguished  sen- 
tence for  his  transgression  ib. 
leaves  his  parents,  and  retires  to  a  strange  coun- 
try 22 
after  leading  a  wandering  life  for  some  time,  he 

settles  in  the  land  of  Nod,  where  he  builds  a  city  ib. 

account  of  his  descendants  23 

Cainites,  their  wicked  course  of  life  25 


k 

381 

ii. 

267 

i. 

95 

3 

80 

ib. 

iv. 

150 

i. 

238 

189 

VOL.    PAOK. 

Caleb,  one  of  the  spies  sent  by  Moses  to  survey  the 

land  of  Canaan,  makes  a  true  report  i.        Ji7 

for  whieb  he  receives  the  divine  approbation  2i9 

Calvary,  the  mount  thereof  described  ii.        c,G 

its  situation,  &c.  ih. 

Cambyses  succeeds  his  father  Cyrus  in  the  Persian 

empire  324 

interrupts  the  re-building  of  the  temple  at  Jeru- 
salem by  the  desire  of  the  Samaritans  ib. 
dies,  and  is  buried  in  the  city  of  Damascus  ih. 
Camp  of  the  Israelites,  plan  of                                      i.       2il 
Canaan,  land  of,  its  situation  and  extent,  note  j  5 
is  afterwards  called  Palestine,  the  Land  of  Prom- 
ise, of  Israel,  of  Judea,  and  lastly,  the  Holy 
Land                                                                                      ib. 
Canaanites  are  driven  out  of  their  country  by  Joshua             298 
Capernaum,   its  situation,   and   why  our  Blessed 
Saviour  made  choice  of  it  before  any  other  for 
his  place  of  residence                                                 iii.    356 
Cat,  an  animal  so  sacred  among  the  Egyptians,  that 
a  Roman  who  had  killed  one  was  murdered  by 
the  mob,  notwithstanding  the  interposition  of 
the  king  in  his  behalf                                               i.      208 
nor  even  in  a  famine  would  any  person  presume 

to  eat  one  ib. 

Catalogue  of  the  Apostles  and  their  successors,  who 
founded  and  presided  over  the  five  grand  apos- 
tolical churches,  during  the  three  first  centu- 
ries after  the  death  of  our  Blessed  Redeemer 
Chedorlaomer,  king  of  Elam,  is  defeated  by  Abram 
Chemosh,  an  idol  of  the  Moabites,  account  of,  note 
Cherith,  brook  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note 
Chimham,  its  situation,  &c.  note 
Chios,  isle  of,  where  situated,  and  for  what  famous, 

note  iv.     173 

Circumcision,  first  practised  by  Divine  direction, 

note  i.         58 

reasons  for  its  being  instituted,  ih. 

renewed  by  Joshua,  289 

Clement  is  supposed  to  have  succeeded  St.  Paul  in 

the  government  of  the  Christian  church  at  Rome     iv.     2*6 
writes  a  long  letter  to  the  Corinthians  2*7 

his  death  not   certainly  known,   but   generally 

supposed  that  he  suffered  martyrdom  248 

Cleopatra,   queen    of    Egypt,   dethrones   her  son 

Ptolemy  Lathyrus,  and  by  what  artifice,  note       iii.      52 


IV. 

350 

i. 

50 

264 

ii. 

114 

11 

39S  INDEX. 

VOL.   PAGE^ 

Cleoapatra  takes  Ptolemais,  and  receives  homage 

from  Alexander  Jannreus  iii       56 

her  character,  note  109 

her  death  J  33 

Cnidus,  city  of,  its   situation,  and  for    what  re- 
markable, note  iv.    192 
Colosse,  a  city  of  Phyrgia,  its  situation,  &c.  note  198 
Confusion  of  Tongues,  on  what  account  God  was 

pleased  to  effect  it  i.        36 

Connection    between   the    Old   and  New    Testa- 
ment, &c.  iv.    249 
Coos,  isle  of,  its  situation,  and  for  what  famous, 

note  176 

Corinth,  derivation  of  its  name,  situation,  &c.  note  159 

Covenant,  the  nature  of,  and  manner  of  forming, 

note  i.       52 

Creation  of  the  World  9 

poetical  description  of  it,  note  14* 

Crete,  island  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  iv.     14-9 

was  once  called  the  Happy  Island,  and  on  what 

account  ib. 

Crocodile,   Divine   adoration    paid   to   it   by  the 

Egyptians  i.       208 

Cyaxares  (whom  the  Scriptures  call  Darius)  sends 
for  his  nephew  Cyrus,  and  makes  him  general 
of  the  Medes  ii.     304 

by  whose  means  he  destroys  Belshazzar,  and  be- 
comes possessed  of  his  kingdom  307 
Cyrene,  city  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note                          iv.    131 
Cyrus  is  sent  by  his  uncle  Cyaxares  against  Babylon     ii.     304 
conquers  and  slays  Neriglissar  305 
overthrows  Belshazzar  in  a  pitched  battle,  and 

shuts  him  up  in  the  city  of  Babylon  ib. 

takes  the  city  by  surprize,  slays  Belshazzar,  and 
translates  the  kingdom  to  Cyaxares,  whom  the 
Scriptures  call  Darius  307 

is  advanced  to  the  Persian  empire  upon  the  de- 
struction of  the  Babylonish  315 
his  kindness  to  the  Jews,  and  decree  for  their 

restoration  ib. 

his  death  321 

Cyrus,  younger  brother  to  Arsaces  king  of  Persia, 
attempts  to  obtain  the  sovereignty,  and  for  that 
purpose  raises  a  yery  considerable  army,  but  is 
defeated  by  Arsaces,  and  himself  slain  440 


INDIA  3U9 

D 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Dagon,  an  idol  of  the  Philistines  erected  in  their 

temple  at  Ashdod  i.      378 

its  form  ib. 

falls  down  before  the  Ark  ib. 

Damascus,  city  of,  described,  note  50 

its  great  antiquity,  note  22* 

Daniel  the  prophet,  his  royal  descent  ii.     293 

is  carried  with  three  of  his  favorite  companions 

into  Babylon  ib. 

is  called  Belteshazzar  ib. 

is   instructed   in  all  the  learning  of  the  Chal- 
deans ib. 

tells  king  Nebuchadnezzar  his  dream,  and  the  in- 
terpretation thereof  296 

is  loaded  with  presents,  and  made  governor  of 

Babylon  298 

his   three  friends  are  thrown  into  a  fiery  fur- 
nace, but  are  miraculously  rescued  therefrom  299 

their  song  in  the  furnace,  of  what  it  consists,  note  ib. 

he  interprets  another  dream  of  Nebuchadnez- 
zar's 301 

has  his  vision  of  the  four  beasts  305 

reproves   Belshazzar,   and   then   interprets  the 

hand-writing  on  the  wall  307 

is  respected  by  Darius,  and  made  the  first  presi- 
dent of  his  kingdom  ib. 

a  conspiracy  is  formed  against  his  life,  in  conse- 
quence thereof  308 

is  thrown  into  the  lion's  den,  but  miraculously 

delivered  without  receiving  the  least  hurt  309 

his  strict  administration  of  justice  in  the  case  of 

Susanna  and  the  elders  312 

the  great  reputation  in  which  he  is  held  by  the 
people  on  that  account  314 

makes  intercession  with  God  for  the  restoration 

of  the  Jews  315 

is  supposed  to  have  been  the  cause  of  procuring 

a  decree  from  Cyrus  in  their  favor,  note  ib. 

remains  in  the  Persian  court  till  his  death,  which 

happened  in  the  91st  year  of  his  age  322 

character  of  his  writings  by  Josephus  ib. 

his  vision  concerning  the  four  great  empires  iii.     282 

of  the  ram  and  he-goat  29t* 


400  INDEX, 

VOL.   PAGEri 

Danites  make  themselves  masters  of  Laish,  which 
they  destroy,  and  put  all  the  inhabitants  to  the 
sword  i.       310 

they  rebuild  it,  and  call  it  after  the  name  of 

their  ancestor  Dan  ib. 

their  horrid  idolatry  ib. 

Darius  (otherwise  called  Cyaxares)  ascends  the 

throne  of  Babylon  ii.     307 

has  a  great  respect  for  Daniel,  and  makes  him 

the  iirst  president  of  his  kingdom  ib. 

is  compelled,  through  the  artifice  of  Daniel's 
enemies,  to  order  him  to  be  thrown  into  the 
lion's  den  309 

is  rejoiced  at  his  miraculous  escape  therefrom, 
and  orders  his  enemies,  together  with  their 
wives  and  families,  to  be  thrown  into  it,  upon 
which  they  are  all  torn  to  pieces  ib. 

issues  out  a  decree,  in  which  he  orders  his  sub- 
jects throughout  his  dominions,  to  tremble  and 
fear  before  the  God  of  Daniel  310 

Darius    Hystaspes    succeeds   Artaxerxes    in   the 

throne  of  Persia  326 

bestows  great  honors  on  Zerubbabel,  governor 

of  Judea,  and  for  what  327 

makes  a  decree  in  favor  of  the  Jews,  and  their 

finishing  the  temple  thereupon  331 

dies  universally  lamented  333 

Darius  Nothus  succeeds  his  father  Ahasuerus  on 
the  throne  of  Persia,  but  soon  dies,  and  is  suc- 
ceeded by  his  son  Arsaces  M0 
Darius  Codomanus  succeeds  Ochus  on  the  throne 

of  Persia  412 

is  defeated  by  Alexander  the  Great,  and  his 

mother,  wife  and  children  taken  prisoners  444 

is  again  overthrown  by  Alexander  448 

is  cruelly  murdered  by  two  of  his  noblemen  449 

his  death  puts  an  end  to  the  Persian  monarchy  450 

David  is  privately  anointed  king  of  Israel  by  Samuel     i.      404 
is  sent  for  to  court  to  divert  Saul  by  playing  on 

his  harp  ib. 

is  made  one  of  his  armor-bearers  405 

accepts  of  the  giant  Goliah's  challenge  406 

slays  him,  and  the  manner  how  408 

is  in  danger  of  being  killed  by  Saul,  and  why  409 

is  promised  Micah,  Saul's  second  daughter,_in 
marriage  on  certain  conditions  411 


INDEX.  401 

VOL.    PAGE. 

David  performs  (he  conditions,  and  is  married  ac- 
cordingly i.       in 

is  again  in  danger  of  his  life  through  thephrcnzy 

of  Saul  414 

makes  his  escape  through  the  contrivance  of  his 

wife  ib. 

ilies  to  the  prophet  Samuel,  and  with  him  to 

Naioth  415 

has  an  interview  with  Jonathan,  Saul's  son,  and 
renews  the  league  of  friendship  that  was  made 
between  them  417 

tells  Ahimeleeh,  the  priest  of  Nob,  an  artful  lie, 

and  on  what  account  420 

goes  to  Gath,  where,  being  known  by  the  king  of 
that  place,  he  feigns  himself  mad,  and  thereby 
effects  his  escape  ih. 

conceals  himself  in  the  cave  of  Adullam,  where 
he  is  visited  by  his  relations  and  friends,  who 
form  a  little  army  421 

puts  himself  and  family  under  the  protection  of 

the  king  of  Moab  ib. 

removes   with   his   forces   from   Adullam,   and 

takes  up  his  residence  in  the  forest  of  Hareth  ib. 

relieves  Keilah,  and  repulses  the  Philistines  with 
great  loss  424 

retires  to  a  wood  in  the  desarts  of  Ziph,  where 
he  has  another  interview  with  his  friend  Jona- 
than 425 

goes  from  thence  to  the  deserts  of  Maon,  and 

from  thence  to  Engcdi  'r  26 

has  a  favorable  opportunity  of  dispatching  Saul, 

but  rejects  it  with  abhorrence  427 

promises  safety  to  his  family  428 

leaves  Engedi,  and  retires  to  the  wilderness  of 

Paran  436 

is  provoked  at  the  churlishness  of  Nabal,  a 
wealthy  man  of  the  country,  and  threatens  to 
destroy  him  and  his  family,  but  is  restrained 
from  so  doing  by  the  prudent  interference  of 
Nabal's  wife,  Abigail  431 

marries  Abigail  soon  after  the  death  of  Nabal, 

as  also  Ahionam  434 

saves  king  Saul,  though  once  more  in  his  power  ib. 

goes  to  Gath,  where  Achish,  king  of  the  roun- 
trv,  makes  him  a  present  of  the  town  of  Zig- 
lag,  where  he  takes  up  his  residence  436 

voi.  iv.         3  E 


402  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE, 

David  makes  several  successful  excursions  against 

the  Amalekites,  Geshurites  and  Gezrites  i.      4il 

pursues  the  Amalekites  who  had  destroyed  Zig- 
lag  in  his  absence  and  taken  away  his  wives, 
kills  great  numbers,  puts  the  rest  to  flight,  re- 
covers his  wives,  and  returns  in  triumph  to 
Ziglag  442 

puts  to  death  an  Amalekite  who  brings  him  the 
bracelets  and  crown  of  Saul,  after  he  had 
killed  himself  to  prevent  falling  into  the  hands 
of  the  Philistines  445 

his  reasons  for  so  doing  ib. 

laments   the   loss  of  Saul   and  Jonathan,  and 

writes  an  elegy  on  the  occasion  446 

removes  with  his  forces  to  Hebron,  where  he  is 
anointed  king  by  the  heads  of  the  tribes  of 
Judah  44 S 

is  greatly  displeased  with  his  general  Joab  for 

having  treacherously  killed  Abner  45* 

attends  his  funeral,  and  writes  an  ode  on  the  oc- 
casion ib. 

his  detestation  and  punishment  of  the  murderers 

of  Ishbosheth  456 

is  made  king  of  all  Israel  457 

takes  Jerusalem,  enlarges  it,  and  calls  it  after 

his  own  name  458 

is  congratulated  by  Hiram,  king  of  Tyre  ib. 

defeats  the  Philistines  in  two  battles  459 

brings  home  the  Ark  of  the  Lord  from  Kii  jath- 

.    jearim  to  Jerusalem  461 

"the  manner  in  which  he  orders  it  to  be  conveyed  ib. 

dances  before  it  ib. 

is  upbraided  for  so  doing  by  his  wife  Michal  ib. 

consults  the  prophet  Nathan  relative  to  building 
a  temple  in  Jerusalem,  but  is  peremptorily  re- 
fused 462 

defeats  the  Philistines,  Moabites  and  Syrians  463 

his  peculiar  indulgence  to  Mephibosheth,  son  of 

his  late  friend  Jonathan  466 

resents  the  indignity  offered  to  his  ambassadors 
by  the  courtiers  of  Hanun,  king  of  the  Am- 
monites 467 

Hadadazer,  the  Syrian  general,  and  his  associ- 
ates make  peace  with  him,  and  become  his 
tributaries  468 


INDEX.  403 

VOL.    PAGE. 

David  falls  in  love  with  Bathsheba  i.       460 

causes  Uriah,  her  husband,  to  be  put  to  death  by 

stratagem  .  471 

marries  Bathsheba  472 

is  reproved  by  the  prophet  Nathan,  and  threat- 
ened with  Divine  punishment  for  his  sins  476 
condemns  himself,  and  confesses  his  guilt  478 
is  promised  pardon  in  some  degree,  and  what  ib. 
is  punished  in  his  family,  and  the  manner  how  ib. 
goes  to  Rabbah,  to  take  possession  of  that  city 
after  being  reduced  by  his  general  Joab,  and 
returns  with  great  spoils  to  Jerusalem                         482 
is  opposed  by  his  son  Absalom                                            495 
leaves  Jerusalem  thereupon,  and  why                               496 
engages  Absalom's  party,  and  obtains  a  conquest             508 
his  great  lamentation  for  the  loss  of  Absalom                   511 
is  restored  to  his  throne,  and  returns  to  Jerusa- 
lem                                                                             ii.         7 
gives  up  to  the  Gibeonites  seven  of  Saul's  poster- 
ity, whom  they  put  to  death,  and  then  hang  on 
gibbets  16 
orders  the  bones  of  Saul  and  Jonathan  to  be  taken 
up,  and  with  the  bodies  of  Saul's  seven  descend- 
ants, to  be  honorably  interred  in  the  sepulchre 
of  Kish,  Saul's  father  19 
vanquishes  the  Philistines  in  four  engagements                 20 
composes  an  hymn  of  thanksgiving  on  the  oc- 
casion                                                                                21 
account  of  those  people  whom  he  called  his  wor- 
thies                                                                                  ib. 
gives  orders  for  numbering  the  people                                 23 
the  fatal  consequences  that  attended  it                                 24 
proclaims  Solomon  his  successor  31 
his  speech  to  the  princes  and  people  of  Israel  con- 
cerning the  building  of  the  temple                                    32 
gives  his  son  Solomon  the  plan  he  had  formed  for 
the  execution  of  the  undertaking,  and  an  ac- 
count of  the  treasures  he  had  provided  for  per- 
fecting the  same                                                                  34 
his  dying  charge  to  his  son  Solomon                                    38 
his  death  and  burial                                                             44 
his  character                                                                            45 
as  given  by  Josephus,  note                                                 ib. 
Deacons,  seven  of  them  appointed  by  the  apostles 
to  assist  them  in  propagating  the  Doctrine  of 
Christ                                                                    !▼•    H3 


V. 

PAGE. 

iv, 

113 

ib. 

t. 

323 

324 

404  INDEX. 

Deacons,  who  they  were 

the  manner  of  their  ordination 
Deborah,  the  prophetess,  her  conquest  over  Sisera, 
Jabin's  general 

makes  a  triumphant  song  on  the  occasion 
Deborah,  nurse  to  Rebeeca,  accompanies  her  on 

her  going  to  be  married  to  Isaac  76 

Decalogue,  pronounced  by  God  from  Mount  Sinai 

to  Moses  and  the  Israelites  223 

what  it  was  ib. 

is  disposed  of  in  two  tables,  &c.  225 

Delilah,  finding  that  Samson's  strength  consisted 
in  his  hair,  cuts  it  off  while  he  is  asleep,  and 
delivers  him  into  the  hands  of  the  Philistines  36S 

Deluge,  general,  particular  account  of  28 

poetical  description  of  it  by  Dryden,  note  29 

Demetrius,  the  nephew  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes, 

lays  claim  to  the  crown  of  Syria  iii.        7 

obtains  it,  and  orders  Antiochus  Eupater,  with 

the  regent  Lysias,  to  be  put  to  death  ib. 

sends  a  considerable  army  into  Judea,  which  is 
defeated    by  the  courageous  Judas  Maccabeus  11 

is  opposed  by  Alexander  (who  pretends  to  be  the 
son  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes)  engages  him  but 
is  defeated  and  slain  17 

Demetrius,  the  son  of  Demetrius,  resolves  to  re- 
venge his  father's  death,  and  recover  his  king- 
dom 21 

gains  over  to  his  interest  Apollouius,  governor  of 

Coelo-Syria  ib. 

is  assisted  by  Ptolemy  Philometer,  king  of  Egypt, 
at  whose  instigation  he  is  quietly  placed  on  the 
Syrian  throne  23 

receives  assistance  from  Jonathan,  commander  of 

the  Jewish  forces,  but  proves  ungrateful  28 

is  defeated  by  Tryphon,  and  obliged  to  fly  into 

Cilicia  29 

engages  Jonathan,  but  is  repulsed  with  very  con- 
siderable loss  31 

forms  a  treaty  of  alliance  with  Simon  the  brother 

and  successor  of  Jonathan  37 

on  the  death  of  his  brother  Antiochus  Sidetes, 

he  returns  to  Syria,  and  recovers  his  kingdom  44 

but  persisting  in  his  vicious  courses  and  tyranni-  » 

cal  way  of  government,  is  universally  detested 
by  the  people  ib. 


INDIA 

VOL.    l'V 

Demetrius  is  defeated  in  a  pitched  battle,  and  by 

whom  iii.        i  L 

flies  for  refuge  to  Ptolcmais,  but  is  refused  en- 

tranee  into  the  city  ib. 

goes  to  Tyre,  where  be  falls  into  the  bands  of 

bis  enemies,  and  is  slain  ib. 

Demetrius,  a  silversmith,  makes  a  great  uproar  at 

Ephcsus,  and  upon  what  account  iv.     168 

how,  and  by  whom  quelled  16  9 

Diana,  temple  of  at  Epliesus,  description  of,  note  162 

Dinah,  the  daughter  of  Jacob,  is  excited,  by  curi- 
osity, to  visit  the  women  of  Sbecbcm  i.       106 
the  king  of  the  country  is  passionately  fond  of 

her,  and  violently  abuses  her  chastity  ib. 

the  injury  is  barbarously  revenged  by  her  two 

brothers,  Simeon  and  Levi  107 

Disciples,  seventy,  sent  by  our  Saviour  to  preach 

the  Gospel  in  various  parts  of  Judea  iii.    419 

Divine  Revelation,  a  summary  view  of  the  great 

truths  of  it  iv.     249 

Doeg,  herdsman  to  Saul,  by  his  master's  orders, 
murders  Ahimelech,  priest  of  Nob,  for  having 
relieved  David  in  his  distress  i.      *23 

E 

Ebedmeleeh,  one  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  eunuchs,  in- 
tercedes with  his  master  for  the  release  of  the 
prophet  Jeremiah  out  of  his  dismal  dungeon  ii.     278 
the  good  effects  thereof  ib. 
Ebel,  mount,  its  situation,  form,  &c.  note  i.      293 
Eebatane,  city  of,  one  of  the  most  ancient  in  his- 
tory, note  ii.     212 
its  situation,  &c.  ib. 
Ecelesiastes,  book  of,  its  contents,  &e.  435 
Edar,  tower  of,  import  of  its  name,  note  i.      HI 
Eden,  or  Garden  of  Paradise,  described  16 
the  streams  by  which  it  was  watered,  note  ib. 
Edom,  king  of,  refuses  Moses  and  the  Israelites  a 

passage  through  his  territories  260 
Edomites,  or  Idumreans,  who,  note  88 
were  more  powerful  than  the  Israelites,  till  con- 
quered by  Davit!  «*• 
Egypt,  prophecies  concerning  '««    25* 
their  fulfilment  261 
history  of  263 


406  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Egypt,  mode  of  government,  and  nature  of  the  in- 
habitants at  the  present  time  iii.   269 
Egyptians,  observations  on  their  learning,  language, 

religion,  idolatry,  &c.  i.      205 

account   of  their  pyramids   and   other   curious 

structures,  &c.  210 

Ehud  murders  Eglon,  king  of  the  Moabites,  and 
thereby  extricates  his  eountrymen  from  an  op- 
pression under  which  they  had  long  labored  318 
Ekron,  city  of,  its  situation,  he.  note                            ii.     137 
Ela  succeeds  his  father  Baasha  in  the  kingdom  of 

Israel  110 

proves  a  very  vicious  and  debauched  prince,  and 
is  assassinated  by  Zimri,  a  considerable  officer 
of  his  horse  ib. 

El-Alohe-Israel,  import  of  that  term  i.      105 

Elath,  or  Elah,  a  famous  port  on  the  Red  sea,  note      ii.     222 
Elders,  seventy  appointed  to  assist  Moses  in  the 

government  of  the  Israelites  i.      243 

Eleazar   succeeds  his  father  Aaron  in  the  high 

priesthood  257 

his  death  302 

Eleazar,  the  martyr,  his  magnanimity  and  stead- 
fastness under  the  persecution  of  Antioehus 
Epiphanes  ii.     468 

Eleazar,  brother  to  Judas  Maccabeu9,  his  remark- 
able enterprize,  &c.  508 
Eli,  the  high-priest,  succeeds  to  the  government  of 

the  Israelites  after  the  death  of  Samson  i.      371 

is  too  indulgent  to  his  children,  who  are  mere 

libertines  374 

is  threatened  by  a  prophet  from  God  with  the  de- 
struction both  of  himself  and  family  375 
his  two  sons  are  slain  in  a  battle  against  the  Phi- 
listines                                                                             377 
is  informed  of  the  melancholy  news,  and  of  the 

ark  being  taken  ib. 

falls  suddenly  from  his  scat  thereupon,  breaks 

his  neck,  and  dies  ib. 

Eliezar,  Abraham's  steward,  is  sent  to  Haran  in 

Mesopotamia,  to  procure  a  wife  for  his  son  Isaac  72 

meets  with   Rebecca,   and   makes   her  several 

presents  74 

is  courteously  entertained  by  her  relations,  and, 
on  communicating  his  business,  obtains  an 
answer  to  his  satisfaction  7$ 


INDEX.  10: 

VOL.    FAGE. 

Eliezar,  Abraham's  steward,  conducts  Rebecca  safe 
to  bis  master,  as  being  the  proper  person  to 
become  Isaac's  wife  i.         76 

Elijah,  tbc  prophet,  is  sent  to  Ahab,  king  of  Israel, 
to  denounce  a  three  years  famine  on  the  land 
for  the  wickedness  of  him  and  his  people  ii.     Hi 

conceals  himself  for  some  time,  and  is  miracu- 
lously fed  by  Ravens  ib. 

increases  the  widow  of  Zarcptha's  meal  and  oil, 
and  promises  a  continuance  of  them  as  long  as 
the  famine  lasts  115 

restores  the  widow's  son  to  life  116 

returns  to  the  land  of  Israel,  and  has  another  in- 
terview with  Ahab  ib. 

his  contest  with  the  priests  of  Baal  US 

orders  them  to  be  seized  as  a  set  of  cheats  and 

impostors,  and  put  to  death  12& 

prays  for  rain,  and  obtains  his  request  121 

is  threatened  by  queen  Jezebel  for  having  put  to 

death  the  priests  of  Baal  ib. 

is  forced  thereupon  to  ily  to  Beersheba,  and  from, 

thence  to  Mount  Horeb  lb. 

has  a  vision,  in  which  he  is  ordered  to  rteurn  into 
his  own  country  by  the  way  of  Damascus, 
where  he  was  to  anoint  Hazacl,  king  of  Syria, 
Jehu  king  of  Israel,  and  to  appoint  Elisha  to  be 
prophet  after  him  122 

sends  a  severe  letter  to  Jehoram,  king  of  Judah  135 

commands  fire  to  come  down  from  Heaven  to  de- 
stroy the  messengers  sent  bv  Ahaziah  king  of 
Israel  to  seize  him  138 

is  soon  after  translated  into  Heaven,  in  the 
presence  of  Elisha,  who  succeeds  him  in  the 
prophetic  office  1*2 

great  affinity  been  Elijah  and  John  the  Baptist  145 

character  of  Elijah  as  given  by  the  author  of 

Ecclesiasticus  liS 

Elisha  succeeds  Elijah  in  the  prophetic  ministry  143 

cures  the  brackishness  of  the  w  aters  of  Jericho, 

and  the  barrenness  of  its  soil  ib. 

is  mocked  by  the  children  of  Bethel,  and  the 

fatal  consequences  that  ensued  ib. 

supplies  the  army  of  the  Israelites  with  water, 
;  .'  !  promises  them  a  complete  victory  over  the 
Moabites  151 


4U8  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Elisha  goes  to  Samaria,  "where  be  increases  a  poor 
widow's  oil  to  such  a  quantity  as  enables  her 
to  pay  her  husband's  debts,  and  preserve  her 
sons  from  bondage  ii.     153 

restores  to  life  the  son  of  a  rich  Shunamite  155 

performs  several  miracles  at  Gilgal  156 

goes  to  Samaria,  and  cures  Naaman,  the  Syrian 

general,  of  an  inveterate  leprosy  157 

is  ordered  by  Benhadad  to  be  seized  at  Dothan, 

but  is  protected  by  an  host  of  angels  160 

strikes  the  officers  blind,  and  carries  them  into 

the  midst  of  Samaria  ib. 

dissuades  Jelioram  from  putting  them  to  death  161 

relieves  the  distresses  of  the  people  of  Samaria 

on  account  of  a  dreadful  famine  162 

goes  to  Damascus,  in  order  to  declare  Hazael 
king  of  Syria,  and  foretels  him  not  only  of  his 
advancement,  but  of  his  future  cruel  behavior 
to  the  Israelites  165 

sends  a  prophet  to  anoint  Jehu  king  of  Israel  167 

falls  sick,  and  is  visited  by  Joash,  king  of  Israel  184 

gives  him  his  blessing,  and  advises  him  to  wage 

Avar  against  the  Syrians  ib* 

his  death  ib. 

a  dead  man  is  restored  to  life  by  touching  his  body  185 

Encampment,  the  manner  of  it  among  the  Israel- 
ites i.      241 
Endor,  its  situation  43S 

witch  of,  by  the  desire  of  Saul,  raises  the  Ghost 

of  Samuel  439 

Engedi,    wilderness    of,    derivation  of  its   name, 

and  where  situated,  note  427 

Ephesus,  city  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  iv.    161 

was  once  celebrated  for  a  famous  temple  dedi- 
cated to  Diana  162 

its  ancient  and  present  state  ib. 

Ephraimites,  a  civil  war  between  them  and  the 

Gileadites  i»     353 

is  suppressed  by  Jephthah,  and  great  numbers  of 

the  former  put  to  the  sword  354 

Epirus,   a  province   of  Greece,   its  situation  and 

boundaries,  note  iv.    219 

Esarhaddon  succeeds  his  father  Sennacherib  on  the 

throne  of  Assyria  ii.    240 

invades  Judea,  defeats  the  army  of  Manasseh, 
takes  him  prisoner,  puts  him  in  chains,  and 
carries  him  to  Babvlon  ib» 


ii. 

2ii 

i. 

79 

80 

84 

iXDEX.  400 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Esarhaddon  restores  him  (o  his  liberty,  and  rein- 
states him  in  his  kingdom 
Esan,  his  birth,  and  the  import  of  his  name 

sells  his  birth-right  to  his  brother  Jacob  for  a 

mess  of  pottage 
marries  two  liittites  against  his  parents  oonsent 
is  deprived  of  his  father's  blessing,  by  whom,  and 

by  what  means  87 

makes  bitter  complaints  to  his  father  Isaac,  on 

his  brother's  maltreatment  8S 

meditates  revenge  against  his  brother  89 

marries  one  of  the  daughters  of  his  uncle  Tshmael  90 

marches  from  Mount  Seir,  the  place  of  his  resi- 
dence, to  meet  his  brother  Jacob  on  his  return 
from  Mesopotamia  102 

receives  presents  from  his  brother  by  the  way  103 

has  an  interview  with  him,  and  shews  him  all 

the  marks  of  tenderness  and  affection  104 

Eschol,  valley  of,  why  so  called  246 

Esscnes,  a  sect  among  the  Jews,  their  religious 

tenets,  6ic.  note  iii.      47 

Esther,  or  Hadassah,  who  she  was  ii.     335 

is  married  to  Ahasuerus,  king  of  Persia  336 

saves  her  countrymen  from  the  general  destruc- 
tion which  Unman  designed  against  them,  and 
by  what  means  347 

Etam,  rock  of,  its  form  and  situation,  note  i.     363 

Eve,  her  formation  out  of  Adam's  side  13 

her  employment  in  Paradise  i.6 

is  tempted  to  eat  the  forbidden  fruit  17 

the  sentence  denounced  against  her  for  her  trans- 
gression 19 
her  expulsion  from  Paradise                                                ib. 
Evil-Merodach  succeeds  his  father  Nebuchadnezzar 

in  the  kingdom  of  Babylon  ii.    304 

releases  Jehoiakim,  king  of  Judah,  who  had  been 
a  captive  thirty-seven  years,  and  promotes  him 
to  great  honor  ib. 

reigns  only  two  years,  when  his  relations  conspire 

against  him,  and  put  him  to  death  ib. 

Euphrates,  one  of  the  rivers  that  watered  the  gar- 
den of  Eden,  note  i.       ^ 
Expiation,  day  of,  the  ceremonies  used  on  that  oc- 
casion, note                                                              ii.    SIS 
Ezekiel  the  prophet  is  carried  captive  to  Babylon 

by  Nebuchadnezzar  258 

TOL.  iY.  3  F 


410  INDEX, 

VOL.   PAdE.' 

Ezekiel  prophesies  the  taking  of  Jerusalem  by  the 
Chaldeans,  and  the  consequences  that  would 
arise  thereupon  ii.     262 

foretels  the  dismal  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and 
by  what  type  the  secret  was  revealed  to  him  276 

his  death  and  place  of  burial,  note  291 

a  list  of  his  prophecies  292 

Ezra  obtains  a  commission  from  Ahasuerus,  king 
of  Persia,  to  return  with  his  countrymen  to 
Jerusalem  409 

makes  a  reformation  among  the  people  with  re- 
spect to  their  marriages  412 

is  appointed  governor  of  Jerusalem  on  the  death 

of  Zerubbabel  413 

reads  the  book  of  the  law,  and  expounds  it  to  the 
people,  who  listen  to  him  with  the  most  pro- 
found attention  422 

prevails  with  them  to  enter  into  a  covenant  with 
God,  and  the  solemn  manner  in  which  it  was 
executed  424 

F 

Fall  of  Man,  with  the  fatal  consequences  attendant 

thereon  i.         IS 

Famine,  account  of  a  dreadful  one  which  happened 
in  Jerusalem  during  the  siege  of  that  city  by 
Titus 
Feast  of  lights,  why  so  called 
Feast  of  Lots,  origin  of,  and  the  ceremonies  at- 
tending it 
Feast  of  Pentecost,  why  so  called,  note 

when  first  instituted,  and  on  what  occasion 
Feast  of  Tabernacles,  its  institution,  and  manner  of 

being  kept,  note 
Felix,  governor  of  Judea,  examines  Paul  on  an  ac- 
cusation laid  against  him  by  Tertullus 
is  terrified  at  his  discourse 
and  the  reason  why 

keeps  Paul  in  confinement  during  the  time  he 
holds  his  office 
Festus  succeeds  Felix  in  the  government  of  Judea 
refers  St.  Paul  to  the  hearing  of  king  Agrippa 
Flies,  plague  of  in  Egypt 
Frogs,  plague  of  in  Egypt 


IV. 

334 

ii. 

496 

348 

iv. 

100 

ib. 

ii. 

78 

iv. 

185 

187 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

189 

i. 

186 

185 

INDEX.  411 

G 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Gabitha,  the  place  where  Pilate  pronounced  sen- 
tence on  our  Saviour  iv.      48 
import  of  the  name,  note.  ib. 
Gabinius  makes  an  alteration  in  the  Jewish  form 

of  government  iii.      82 

Galatia,  a  province  of  Asia  Minor,  its  boundaries, 

ko.  iv.  150 

Gcdaliah  is  made  governor  of  Judea  by  Nebuchad- 
nezzar ii.    280 
takes  up  his  residence  at  Mizpah  286 
is  murdered  by  Ishmael  287 
Gchazi,  servant  to  the  prophet  Elisha,  is  smitten 

with  a  leprosy,  and  on  what  account  159 

Gerar,  city  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  i.        63 

Gerizim,  Mount,  its  situation,  form,  &c.  note  293 

Gibeah,  inhabitants  of,  ill  treat  the  concubine  of  a 

Levite  312 

the  dreadful  consequences  arising  therefrom  314. 

Gibeouites  project  a  stratagem  for  procuring  a 

peace  with  the  Israelites  294 

the  manner  of  it  ib. 

its  success  295 

are  sentenced  to  be  perpetual  slaves  to  the  Israel- 
ites ib. 
acquiesce  therein  without  murmuring  ib. 
Gideon,  is  informed  by  an  angel  that  God  had  made 
choice  of  him  to  be  the  deliverer  of  the  Israeli 
ites  from  the  oppression  of  the  Midianites                   333 
his  sacrifice  consumed  by  the  angel's  touching  it 

with  his  staff  334 

is  ordered  to  destroy  the  altar  of  Baal,  and  the 

groves  that  surrounded  it  335 

is  encouraged  by  miracles  to  engage  the  Midian- 
ites 336 
gains  a  complete  victory  over  them,  and  in  what 

manner  339 

slays    Zabah   and   Zalmunna  two    Midianitish 

princes,  with  his  own  hand  340 

is  offered  the  government,  but  modestly  declines  it  ib. 

accepts,  however,  of  the  ear-rings  taken  in  the 

plunder   of  the   Midianites,    with   whicji   he. 

makes  an  ephod  ib* 

his  death  341 


412  INDEX. 

VOL.   PAGE. 

Gihon  (called  by  the  Greeks  the  Nile)  one  of  the 

rivers  that  watered  the  garden  of  Eden,  note       i.        16 
Gileadites  are  invaded  by  the  Ammonites  349 
choose  Jephthah  for  their  general,  who  van- 
quishes all  their  enemies  350 
suppresses  an  insurrection  raised  by  theEphraim- 

ites  354 
take  down  the  dead  bodies  of  Saul  and  his  sons 
from  the  walls  of  Bethshan,  where  they  had 
been  placed  by  the  Philistines,  first  burn  them, 

and  then  honorably  inter  their  ashes  4  4* 

Gilgal,  its  situation,  and  why  so  called,  note  288 
Golgotha,  the  place  where  our  l/ord  was  crucified      iv.       50 

its  situation,  and  import  of  the  name  ib. 
Goliath,  his  prodigious  stature                                        i.      405 

his  challenge  to  the  Israelites  ib. 

is  slain  by  David  with  a  stone  and  sling  408 

Gomorrah,  the  wickedness  of  its  inhabitants  58 

their  impious  endeavors  to  abuse  Lot's  guest  61 

are  struck  with  blindness  ib. 

are  destroyed  by  fire  from  heaven  62 

Goshen,  land  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  142 
Groves,  first  planted,  and  made  use  of  as  places  of 

worship  68 

reasons  why  proper  for  that  purpose,  note  iu. 

II 

Habakuk  the  prophet,  the  time  in  which  he  lived, 

and  the  nature  of  his  prophecies,  note  i\.     252 

Hadad,  anEdomite,  in  conjunction  with  one  Rezon, 
a  fugitive  from  Ihe  king  of  Zoab,  greatly  per- 
plexes Solomon  in  the  latter  part  of  his  reign  90 
Hagar,  Sarai's  handmaid,  becomes  Abram's  secon- 
dary wife,  at  the  request  of  her  mistress                i.        54 
is  with  child  by  him,  in  consequence  of  which  she 

treats  her  mistress  with  contempt  ib. 

runs  away  from  Abraham,  and  travels  into  a 
desart  country,  where  she  is  visited  by  an  angel, 
who  advises  her  to  return  to  her  mistress  ob 

she  obeys  his  orders,  and  soon  after  her  return 
has  a  son,  whom  Abram  (as  (he  angel  had  di- 
rected to  Hagar)  called  Ishmael  57 
she  and  her  son,  after  the  birth  of  Isaac,  are  both 
dismissed  from  Abram's  house  66 


INDEX.  413 

VOL.    PACE. 

Hagar,  travels  into  the  wilderness  of  Beershcba, 
where  she  is  greatly  distressed,  but  meets 
with  relief  from  an  angel  i.        66 

prosecutes  her  journey,  and  settles  in  the  wilder- 
ness of  Paran  ib. 
Ilani,  his  indecent  behavior  to  his  father  Noah  33 

his  father  curses  his  race,  in  the  person  of  his 

grandson  Canaan  ib. 

settlement  of  his  descendants  after  the  flood  59 

Haian,  or  Charian,  situation  of,  note  73 

Ilazael  murders  his  master  Benhadad  by  stilling  bin 
with  a  wet  cloth,  and  succeeds  him  on  the 
throne  of  Syria  ii.      106 

Jays  siege  to  Ramoth  Gilead,  and  takes  it,  but  is 
soon  dispossessed  and  routed  by  the  forces  of 
Jehoram,  king  of  Israel  ib. 

reduces  Jehoahaz  his  successor  to  a  very  low  con- 
dition J74 

greatly  oppresses  Jehoash,  king  of  Judab  179 

withdraws  his  troops  on  receiving  a  very  valua- 
ble present  ISO 
Herbon,  city  of,  derivation  of  its  name                          i.        4-9 

its  situation,  &c.  note  ib. 

Ileliodorus,  treasurer  to  Seleucus  Philopater,  king 
of  Syria,  poisons  his  master,  in  hopes  of  ob- 
taining the  sovereignty,  but  his  designs  are 
obstructed  and  rendered  abortive  ii.     id 

Hercules,  one  of  the  idols  worshipped  by  the  in- 
habitants of  the  island  of  Melita,  note  iv.    195 
Herod  Agrippa,  raises  a  violent  persecution  against 

the  Christians  132 

orders  James    (brother  of  John)  to  be  put  to 

death  ib, 

causes  Peter  to  be  apprehended,  and  thrown  into 

prison  133 

is  informed  of  his  escape,  and  supposing  the 
keepers  accessary  to  it,  orders  them  to  be  put 
to  death  13* 

is  suddenly  struck  by  an  angel  with  a  mortifica- 
tion in  his  bowels,  which  soon  puts  a  period  to 
his  existence  ib. 

Herod  Antipas  admires  the  preaching  of  John  the 

Baptist  iii.   3i9 

is  reproved  by  him  for  cohabiting  with  Herodias. 

his  brother  Philip's  wife  ib. 


41*  INDEX. 

VOL.   PAGE, 

Herod  Antipas,  is  prevailed  on  to  throw  him 

into  prison  iii.    349 

and  at  length  consents  though  with  great  reluc- 

ance,  to  have  him  put  to  death  395 

Herod  the  Great,  son  of  Antipater,  is  appointed 

governor  of  Galilee  85 

gives  early  instances  of  his  enterprizing  disposi- 
tion ih. 

is  summoned  to  appear  before  the  Sanhedrim, 
and  for  what  89 

puts   himself  under   the  protection   of  Sextus 

Csesar,  prefect  of  Syria  ib. 

inarches  into  Judea  with  an  intent  to  depose 
Hyrcanus,  but  is  prevailed  on  by  his  father  and 
brother  to  relinquish  his  design  90 

revenges  his  father's  death  on  Malicus  qq 

marries  Mariamne,  the  grand-daughter  of  Hyr- 
canus 97 

engages  Antigonus,  defeats  him,  kills  the  greater 

part  of  his  forces,  and  puts  the  rest  to  flight  98 

is  complained  against  to  Mark  Antony,  by  the 
principal  persons  of  the  Jewish  nation,  but  by 
money  and  interest  renders  their  attempts 
against  him  ineffectual  99 

is  defeated   by  the   Parthians,  and  makes  his 

escape  by  night  103 

is  denied  admittance  into  Arabia  Petrea  lOi 

goes  to  Rome,  and,  by  means  of  Mark  Antony, 
obtains  from  the  senate  a  grant  of  the  king- 
dom of  Judea  105 

besieges  Jerusalem,  takes  Antigonus  prisoner, 

and  puts  him  in  chains  111 

prevails  on  Antony  to  put  Antigonus  to  death  113 ■ 

is  established  in  the  sovereignty  of  Judea  114 

puts  all  the  members  of  the  Sanhedrim,  two  only 
excepted,  to  death  ib. 

makes  Aristobulus,  the  brother  of  Mariamne, 

though  but  seventeen  years  of  age,  high-priest  115 

but  afterwards  causes  him  to  be  drowned,  and 

how  117 

acts  the  part  of  chief  mourner,  and  makes  a  splen- 
did funeral  for  him  ib. 

is  detested  for  his  hypocrisy,  and  called  to  an 
account  before  Antony,  for  so  inhuman  an 
act,  but  by  artifice  is  justified  instead  of  being 
condemned  118 


INDEX.  411 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Herod  gives  orders,  however,  that  in  ease  he  suf- 

f  u red,  his  wife  should  he  instantly  put  to  death     iii.    119 

puts  to  death  his  uncLe  Joseph,  with  whom  he 
had  entrusted  his  wife,  on  suspicion  of  having 
had  criminal  conversation  with  her  120 

cuts  off  old  llyrcanus,  secures  his  wife  and 
mother  in  the  castle  of  Alexaudrion,  and  goes 
to  meet  Ctesar  Oetavianus  at  Rhodes  128 

is  kindly  received,  and  confirmed  in  the  kingdom 

of  Judea  130 

puts  to  death  Sohemus,  on  suspicion  of  his  having 
had  a  criminal  intimacy  with  his  wife  Mari- 
amne  13* 

at  the  instigation  of  his  brother  and  sister  orders 

Mariamne  herself  to  be  put  to  death  ib. 

repents  of  his  rashness,  and  is  almost  distracted 

on  the  occasion  136 

puts  to  death  Alexandra,  the  mother  of  Mari- 
amne 138 

procures  the  condemnation  of  his  two  sons  Alex- 
ander and  Aristobulus,  whom  he  had  by  Mari- 
amne, and  orders  them  both  to  be  strangled  139 

discovers  a  conspiracy  formed  against  him  by  his 
eldest  son  Antipater,  whom  he  causes  to  be 
brought  to  trial,  and  being  found  guilty,  orders 
him  to  be  put  to  death  142 

has  a  great  veneration  for  Augustus  Ccesar,  and 
carries  his  complaisance  to  such  a  degree,  as  to 
incur  the  universal  hatred  of  the  people  151 

rebuilds  the  temple  at  Jerusalem  152 

description  of  it  as  given  by  Josephus  ib. 

his  destruction  of  the  children  at  Bethlehem  330 

his  miserable  end  ib. 

the  nature  of  his  disorder  as  related  by  Josephus  ib. 

his  character  331 

Herod's  hall,  why  so  called,  and  to  what  purposes 

used,  note  iv.    184 

Herodias,  sister-in-law  to  Herod  Antipas,  prevails 
on  him  to  commit  John  the  Baptist  to  prison, 
and  for  what  iii.  349 

causes  him  to  be  put  to  death  394 

Heshbon,  the  capital  city  of  the  Amorites,  its  situ- 
ation, &c.  note  i.     260 
Hezekiah  succeeds  his  father  Ahaz  in  the  kingdom 

of  Judah  ii.  225 


416  INDEX. 

VOL.  PAGE. 

Hezekiah  makes  a  thorough  reformation  in  mat- 
ters of  religion  ii.      225 

renews  the  celebration  of  the  passover,  which  had 

been  long  neglected  226 

demolishes  all  idolatrous  practices,  and  re- 
establishes the  temple  worship  not  only  through, 
out  his  own  dominions,  but  in  other  parts  228 

gives  orders  for  the  destruction  of  the  brazen  ser- 
pent which  had  been  erected  by  Moses  ib. 

his  reasons  for  so  doing  229 

is  successful  in  his  wars  with  the  Philistines  230 

is  taken  very  ill,  and  receives  a  message  from 

God  by  the  prophet  Isaiah  ib. 

his  wonderful  recovery  231 

enters  into  an  alliance  with  the  king  of  Babylon  232 

is  reproved  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  for  shewing 
the  wealth  and  strength  of  his  kingdom  to  the 
Babylonish  ambassadors  ib. 

his  humble  deportment  thereupon  ib. 

makes  preparations  for  a  vigorous  defence  against 
Sennacherib  king  of  Assyria,  who  invades  his 
dominions  235 

promises  Sennacherib  to  submit  to  such  conditions 

as  he  should  impose  ib. 

receives  insolent  and  blasphemous  messages  from 

him  by  Rabshakeh,  his  general  234 

his  humble  address  to  Isaiah  the  prophet  there- 
upon 235 

sees  the  proud  Sennacherib's  army  miraculously 

defeated  236 

lives  the  remainder  of  his  days  in  peace  and 
tranquility,  and  makes  large  improvements  in 
the  city  of  Jerusalem  ib. 

dies,  and  is  buried  with  great  solemnity  in  the 

royal  sepulchre  237 

his  character  ib. 

Hiddekel,  (afterwards  called  the  Tigris)  one  of  the 

rivers  that  watered  the  garden  of  Eden,  note       i.        16 
Hiel,  (of  Bethel,  the  famous  seat  of  idolatry)  pre- 
sumptuously adventures  to  rebuild  Jericho,  for 
which  he  is  punished  with  the  gradual  loss  of 
all  his  children  ii.    113 

Hilkiah,  the  high-priest,  accidentally  finds  the  book 

of  the  law  of  the  Lord  in  the  temple  244 

presents   it  in    great  form   to  Josiah,   king  of 


INDEX.  41? 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Judah,  who  orders  it  to  be  distinctly  read  to 
the  people  ii.      24-4* 

Hinnom,  Valley  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  2*1 

Hiram,  king  of  Tyre,  congratulates  David  on  his 

taking  Jerusalem  j.      402 

sends  letters  of  congratulation  to  Solomon  on  his 

accession  to  the  throne  of  Israel  ii.       61 

supplies  him  with  workmen  and  materials  for 

building  the  temple  ib. 

History  of  the  Old  Testament,  from  the  creation 

of  the  world  to  the  death  of  Moses  i.  9 

from  the  death  of  Moses,  to  the  building  of  Solo- 
mon's Temple  285 
from  the  building  of  Solomon's  Temple  to  the 

Babylonish  Captivity  ii.      277 

from  the  Babylonish  captivity,  to  the  birth  of 

Christ  285 

History  of  the  New  Testament,  from  the  Birth  of 

Christ,  to  his  Ascension  into  Heaven  iii.     309 

from  our  Lord's  Ascension  into  Heaven,  to  the 

full  establishment  of  Christianity  iv.       97 

Holofernes,the  general  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  forces, 

is  killed  by  Judith,  a  widow  lady  of  Bethuliah 
Hor,  a  mountain  in  the  land  of  Edom,  its  situation 
Horeb,  a  mountain  in  Arabia  Pctrea,  account  of,  note 

is  called  the  mountain  of  God,  and  why 
Hosea  the  prophet,  some  account  of  him,  with  the 

nature  of  his  prophecies  ii.      198 

Hosea,  the  son  of  Elah,  murders  Pekah  king  of 

Israel,  and  gets  possession  of  the  throne  206 

is  defeated  by  Shalmaneser  king  of  Assyria,  put 
in  chains,  and  confined  in  prison  during  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life  ib. 
Hushai,  the  Archite,  who  he  was                                    i.      499 
assists  David  in  defeating  the  designs  of  Ahito- 

phel  in  favor  of  his  son  Absalom  ib. 

offers  Absalom  his  service,  and  is  bantered  by 

him  thereupon  501 

but  so  artfully  behaves  himself  towards  the 
prince,  that  he  is  taken  for  a  valuable  friend, 
and  admitted  into  his  privy-council  502 

gives  such  advice  as  he  thinks  will  be  advanta- 
geous to  David,  which  (Absalom  not  knowing 
his  designs)  approves  of  in  preference  to  that 
given  by  the  rest  of  the  council  503 

vol.  iv;        5    G 


ii. 

271 

i. 

258 

173 

ib. 

418  INDEX. 

VOL.  PAGEj 

sends  intelligence  thereof  to  David,  and  advises 

him  what  steps  to  take  for  his  security  i.       504 

Hymeneus  and  Alexander  are  excommunicated  by 

Paul  for  denying  the  resurrection  of  the  dead        iv.    208 
Hyrcanus  succeeds  his  father  Simon,  as  high-priest 

and  prince  of  the  Jews  ill.       41 

makes  a  peace  upon  hard  terms  with  Antiochus 

Sidetes  42 

shakes  off  the  Syrian  yoke  45 

takes  several  cities,  subdues  Sichen,  and  de- 
stroys the  temple  on  Mount  Gerezim  ib. 

conquers  the  Idumseans,  and  makes  them  prose- 
lytes to  the  Jewish  religion  ib. 

renews  the  league  of  alliance  made  by  his  father 

with  the  Romans  46 

besieges  Samaria,  and  takes  it  ib. 

his  indignation  against  the  Pharisees,  and  upon 

what  account  47 

his  death  and  character  ib. 

Hyrcanus,  eldest  son  Alexander  Janmeus,  is  named 
successor  to  his  father  by  Alexandra,  the 
queen-dowager  iii.     66 

meets  his  brother  Aristobulus  at  Jericho,  and 
enters  into  a  treaty  with  him,  by  which  he  re- 
signs both  his  crown  and  high-priesthood  71 

is  assisted  by  Aretas,  king  of  Arabia,  and  defeats 

Aristobulus  72 

pleads  his  cause  before  Pompey  74 

is  restored  by  him  to  the  government  and  high- 
priesthood  78 

is  confirmed  therein  by  Julius  Csesar  82 

is  delivered  by  the  Parthians  to  Antigonus,  king 

of  Judea,  in  chains  103 

has  both  his  ears  cut  off,  and  then  returned  a 

prisoner  to  the  Parthians  104 

is  released  by  Phraortes,  king  of  Parthia,  and 

allowed  to  reside  at  Babylon  115 

returns  to  Jerusalem  116 

is  put  to  death  by  Hei'od  128 

Hyrcanus,  the  son  of  Joseph,  the  history  of  his 

birth  very  remarkable,  note  ii.     457 

his  conduct  at  the  Egyptian  court  458 

supplants  his  father,  and  obtains  a  commission 
from  the  king  to  be  collector  of  the  royal 
revenues  460 

puts  a  period  to  his  own  existence  461 


INDIA  41fc 

I 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Jabin,    ono   of  the   confederate    kings   of    North- 

Canaan,  is  taken  prisoner  by  Joshua,  put  to 

death,  and  his  city  burnt  to  the  ground  i.      297 

his  successor  defeats  the  Israelites,  and  oppresses 

them  with  the  most  unbounded  severity  320 

is  conquered  by  means  of  Deborah  the  prophetess, 

and  the  Jews  restored  to  their  liberty  321 

Jacob,  his  birth  79 

the  import  of  his  name  ib. 

purchases  his  brother  Esau's  birth-right  for  a 

mess  of  pottage  80 

gets  the  blessing  of  his  father  Isaac  from  him  87 

is  sent  to  his  uncle  Laban  in  Mesopotamia,  to 

avoid  the  resentment  of  his  brother  89 

on  his  way  towards  Uaran  he  has  a  remarkable 

vision  90 

explanation  of  the  vision,  note  91 

he  makes  a  solemn  vow  on  the  occasion  ib. 

his  arrival  at  Haran,  and  interview  with  Rachel  92 

serves  seven  years  for  her  93 

is  deceived  by  his  uncle  Laban,  who  gives  him 

his  daughter  Leah,  instead  of  Rachel  ib. 

marries  Rachel  likewise,  but  upon  very  hard  con- 
ditions 9'u 
has  four  children  by  Leah,  but  none  by  Rachel                ib. 
is  desired  by  the  latter  to  make  her  hand-maid 

Bilhah  his  concubinary  wife  95 

complies  with  her  request,  and  has  two  children 

by  her  ib. 

is  desired  by  Leah  to  make  her  hand-maid  Zilpah 

his  concubinary  wife  ib. 

complies  with  her  request,  and  has  two  children 

by  her  likewise  ib. 

has  two  sons  and  a  daughter  more  by  Leah  96 

and  at  last  a  son  by  Rachel  ib. 

engages  to  continue  with  his  uncle  Laban,  on 

condition  of  having  all  the  spotted  cattle  for 

his  hire  97 

leaves  him  privately,  and  returns  to  the  land  of 

Canaan  98 

is  overtaken  by  his  uncle,  who  expostulates  with 

him  on  his  escape  99 

forms  an  alliance  of  friendship  with  him  100 

has  another  heavenly  vision  lOi 


420  ENDEX. 

VOL,    PAGE. 

Jacob  approaches  his  brother  Esau's  country,  and 

sends  a  submissive  message  to  him  i.      101 

is  informed  of  his  brother's  coming  to  meet  him 

at  the  head  of  an  army  102 

his  prudent  conduct  thereupon  ib. 

sends  considerable  presents  to  his  brother  103 

wrestles  with  an  angel,  and  has  his  thigh  put 

out  of  joint  ib. 

is  afterwards  blessed,  and  called  Israel  104 

is  kindly  received  by  his  brother  Esau  ib. 

goes  to  Succoth,  and  from  thence  to  Shechem 

where  he  settles,  and  builds  an  altar  to  the  Lord  105 

is  highly  offended  at  his  sons'  rash  and  violent 
proceedings  against  the  Shechemites  for  the 
injury  done  to  their  sister  Dinah  10S 

receives  directions  from  God  to  remove  to  Bethel, 

and  there  build  an  altar  ib. 

purifies  his  people,  and  removes  there  accordingly  ib. 

receives  assurances  from  God  that  his  descend- 
ants shall  possess  the  land  of  Canaan,  on 
which  he  erects  a  pillar  of  stone  as  a  monu- 
ment of  the  Divine  favor  110 

he  leaves  Bethel,  in  order  to  pay  a  visit  to  his 

father  Isaac  at  Mamre  111 

is  stopped  on  the  way  by  his  wife  Rachel  falling 

in  labor,  and  dying  ib. 

builds  a  monument  over  her  grave  ib. 

the  form  of  it  described,  note  ib. 

is  injured  by  his  eldest  son  Reuben,  and  resents 

it  to  his  dying  hour  112 

visits  his  father  at  Mamre,  and  there  takes  up 

his  residence  ib. 

is  very  fond  of  his  son  Joseph,  and  why  113 

his  lamentation  for  the  supposed  loss  of  him  117 

sends  ten  of  his  sons  into  Egypt,  to  buy  corn  130 

sends  them  a  second  time,  and  with  them  his 

then  favorite  son  Benjamin  134 

his  joy  on  their  return,  and  particularly  on  hear- 
ing that  his  son  Joseph  (whom  he  had  long 
supposed  to  be  dead)  was  alive,  and  in  high 
reputation  with  Pharaoh,  king  of  Egypt  143 

he  goes,  with  all  his  family,  into  Egypt  ib. 

his  interview  with  his  son  Joseph  144 

and  afterwards  with  Pharaoh  145 

settles  in  the  land  of  Goshen  ib. 


INDEX.  i  21 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Jacob  finding,  from  his  infirmities,  that,  his  end  is 
drawing  near,  he  sends  for  his  son  Joseph,  and 
requests,  that  after  his  death  his  remains  may 
he  deposited  in  the  land  of  Canaan  i.       liS 

he  again  sends  for  Joseph,  who  takes  with  him 
his  two  sons  Ephraim  and  Manasseh,  whoui 
Jacob  constitutes  heads  of  tribes  ib. 

he  bestows  his  benediction  on  all  his  children, 
and  foretels  what  would  happen  to  them  and 
their  posterity  151 

fulfilment  of  his   prophecy  relative  to  his  son 

Judah,  explained,  note  ib. 

his  death,  and  pompous  funeral  156 

Jaddus,  the  high-priest,  is  greatly  honored  by  Alex- 
ander the  Great  ii.      4i6 
Jael,  wife  of  Heber  the  Kenite,  puts  Sisera,  the 
general  of  Jabin's  forces,  to  death,  and  by 
what  means                                                                i.       323 
James  the  Great,  why  so  called,  note                          iv.     132 
is  put  to  death  by  order  of  Herod  Agrippa  ib. 
some  farther  account  of  him                                                221 
James  the  less,   bishop  of  Jerusalem,  writes  an 
epistle  to  the  converts  of  the  twelve  tribes  of 
Israel                                                                                  200 
the  contents  of  it  ib. 
suffers  martyrdom  at  Jerusalem                                           ib. 
why  called  James  the  Just                                                   202 
James  and  John  desire  our  Saviour  to  command 
fire  down  from  heaven  to  destroy  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Samaria,  and  why                                         iii.    418 
Japhet,  the  eldest  son  of  Noah,  receives  his  father's 

benediction  i.         3* 

the  settlement  of  his  descendants  after  the  flood  37 

Iconium,  city  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  iv.    110 

description  of,  with  its  present  inhabitants  ib. 

Jchoahaz  succeeds  his  father  Jehu  in  the  kingdom 

of  Israel  ii.     114< 

is  greatly  oppressed  by  Hazael,  king  of  Syria  ib. 

dies,  and  is  succeeded  by  his  son  Joash  ib. 

Jehoahaz  succeeds  his  father  Josiah  in  the  kingdom 

of Judah  250 

is  put  in  chains  by  Pharoah-Necho,  and  sent 
prisoner  to  Egypt,  where  he  spends  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days  in  misery  and  disgrace  251 


*»  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE? 

Jehoash,  king  of  Judah,  is  concealed  for  six  years 
in  the  temple  from  the  fury  of  Athaliah,  the 
wife  of  king  Jehoram  ii.     175 

is  at  length  settled  on  the  throne  by  his  uncle  Je- 
hoiada, the  high-priest  ib. 

is  a  good  prince  during  the  life  of  Jehoiada,  but 

after  his  death  falls  into  idolatry  177 

orders  the  prophet  Zachariah,  son  to  Jehoiada,  to 

be  put  to  death  179 

is  greatly  distressed  by  Hazael,  king  of  Syria  ib. 

is  confined  to  his  bed,  and  assassinated  by  two  of 

his  domestics  180 

is  denied  royal  interment  ib. 

Jehoiada,  the  high-priest,  keeps  Jehoash,  the  son  of 
Ahaziah,  concealed  for  six  years  in  an  apart- 
ment of  the  temple  175 

sets  the  crown  on  his  head,  and  proclaims  him 
king  of  Judah  17G 

orders  Athaliah,  who  had  usurped  the  govern- 
ment, to  be  put  to  death  ib. 

dies,  and  is  buried  in  the  royal  sepulchres  178 

Jehoiachin  succeeds  his  father  in  the  kingdom  of 

Judah  257 

but  in  a  few  months  is  taken  prisoner  by  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, and  carried  captive  to  Babylon  ib. 

is  released,  however,  and  kindly  treated  by  Evil- 
Merodach,  successor  to  Nebuchadnezzar,  but 
finishes  his  life  at  Babylon,  note  258 

Jehoiakim  is  made  king  of  Judah  instead  of  his 
brother  Jehoahaz,  taken  prisoner  by  Pharaoh- 
Nceho,  and  sent  into  Egypt  251 

proves  a  very  wicked  prince,  and  is  severely  re- 
proved for  it  by  the  prophet  Jeremiah  ib. 

is  likewise  rebuked  by  the  prophet  Urijah,  whom 
he  puts  to  death,  and  afterwards  treats  his  re- 
mains with  the  greatest  indignity  252 

is  invaded  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  carried  cap- 
tive to  Babylon  ib. 

is  restored  again  to  his  throne,  under  certain 
restrictions  253 

rebels,  and  is  again  invaded  by  Nebuchadnezzar  256 

is  slain  before  Jerusalem,  and  his  dead  body 
thrown  into  the  high  way,  without  the  decency 
of  interment  257 

Jehoram,  king  of  Judah,  succeeds  his  father  Je-. 

hoshaphat  135 


INDEX;  IfftB 

VOL.    PA'l.. 

Jehoram  murders  all  his  brothers,  and  several  of 

the  principal  people  of  Israel  ii.    135 

receives  a  very  severe  letter  from  tl»e  prophet 

Elijah  ib. 

several  people  shake  ofr  (heir  allegiance,  anil  re- 
fuse (o  acknowledge  him  as  their  sovereign  136 

dies  in  a  miserable  condition,  and  unlaiuenied  by 

his  subjects  ib. 

Jehoram,    king   of   Israel,    succeeds    his   brother 

Ahaziah  J  •>!. 

is  joined  by  Jehoshaphat  king  of  Judah,  against 

Mesha  king  of  JMoab  150 

defeats  and  besieges  him  in  his  royal  city  132 

is  inclined  to  put  Benhadad's  men  to  the  sword, 
but  is  dissuaded  therefrom  by  the  prophet 
Elisha  161 

\ows  to  be  revenged  on  Elisha,  supposing  him  to 
be  the  occasion  of  the  dreadful  famine  in 
Samaria,  but  is  restrained  therefrom,  and  by 
what  means  162 

receives   a  dangerous   wound   at   the   siege   of 

Ramoth-Gilead  166 

is  conspired  against  by  Jehu,  and  slain  with  an 

arrow  167 

Jehoshaphat,  succeeds  his  father  Asa  in  the  king- 
dom of  Judah  109 

begins  his  reign  with  making  a  thorough  reform- 
ation in  religion  112 

is  beloved  by  his  subjects,  and  revered  by  his 

enemies  113 

marries  bis  son  Jehoram  to  Athaliah,  the  daughter 
of  Ahab  king  of  Israel,  which  displeaseth  God, 
and  involveth  both  him  and  his  family  in  great 
trouble  ib. 

goes  with  Ahab  against  Benhadad  king  of  the 

Syrians  129 

returns  to  Jerusalem,  but  is  met  on  the  way  by 
the  prophet  Jehu,  who  severely  reproves  him 
for  having  assisted  Ahab  131 

his  pious  admonition  to  the  judges  of  the  princi- 
pal places  in  his  dominions  ib. 

his  prayer,  accounted  one  of  the  most  excellent 

in  saercd  writ,  note  132 

marches  against  the  Moabites  and  Ammonites, 
but  is  prevented  from  engaging  them  by  their 
being  all  providentially  put  to  death  13* 


42*  INDEX. 

L  ■         .        .  VOL.    PAGE. 

Jelioshaphat  sustains  a  great  loss  by  joining  Aliaziah 
king  of  Israel,  in  fitting  out  a  large  fleet  of 
ships,  which  are  all  dashed  to  pieces  ii.     135 

his  death  and  burial  ib. 

Jehu,  the  grandson  of  Nimshi,  is  anointed  king  of 

Israel  167 

kills  his  master  Jehoram  with  an  arrow  169 

orders  Jezebel,  mother-in  law  to  Jehoram,  to  be 
thrown  out  of  her  window  ib. 

extirpates  the  whole  race  of  his  predecessor  Ahab  170 

puts  to  death  forty-two  people,  the  relations  of 

Ahaziah,  late  king  of  Judah  171 

shews  great  civility  to  Jehonadab  the   son  of 

Rechab  ib. 

destroys  the  temple  of  Baal,  and  puts  all  the 

priests  belonging  to  it  to  the  sword  172 

is  invaded  by  Hazael,  king  of  Syria  173 

dies,  and  is  buried  in  Samaria  ib. 

Jephthah  is  made  choice  of  to  be  the  deliverer  of 

the  Israelites  i.       350 

is  chosen  general  of  the  Gileaditish  army  ib. 

his  rash  vow  351 

is  successful  abroad,  but  meets  with  great  un- 
easiness at  home  352 

endeavors  to  pacify  the  Ephraimites,  but  to  no 

purpose  354, 

marches  against  them  with  his  army,  conquers 
them,  kills  great  numbers,  and  puts  the  rest  to 
flight  355 

spends  the  remainder  of  his  days  in  peace  ib. 

his  death  ib. 

whether  he  really  sacrificed  his  daughter  or  not, 

note  353 

Jeremiah  the  prophet  is  greatly  afflicted  at  the 
death  of  Josiah,  king  of  Judah,  and  writes  a 
song  of  lamentation  on  the  occasion  ii.     248 

denounces  God's  judgments  against  Jehoiakim 

and  his  family  251 

upbraids  the  people  of  Jerusalem  with  their  dis- 
obedience, and  prophecies  their  eaptivity  254 

employs  Barueh,  his  amanuensis,  to  take  a  copy 

of  his  prophecies,  and  read  them  to  the  people  ib. 

is  obliged  to  conceal  himself  on  the  occasion  256 

admonishes  Zedekiah  for  his  wickedness  259 

puts  bonds  and  yokes  about  his  neck,  in  token  of 
the  Divine  vengeance  threatened  to  Judah  and 
the  other  nations  260 


IXDEX.  <  j~ 

TuL.    PAGE. 

Jeremiah  advises  ITezekiah  to  live  in  obedience  to 

the  king  of  Babylon  ii.     260 

Bends  a  letter  to  the  captive  Jews  at  Babylon,  for 

which  he  is  grossly  abused  and  mal-treated  261 

prophecies  the  Divine  judgments  that  would  be 

executed  on  Chaldea  and  Babylon  262 

prophecies  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  for 
which  he  is  siezed,  severely  beat,  aud  then 
committed  to  prison  277 

is  removed  from  the  common  jail  to  a  most  loath- 
some dungeon  where  he  must  have  perished 
had  it  not  been  for  Ebed-Melech,  one  of  the 
king's  eunuchs,  at  whose  instigation  he  was 
returned  to  his  former  place  of  confinement  5378 

after  the  city  and  temple  are  plundered,  is  pre- 
served by  Xebuebadiiezzar's  orders,  and  treat- 
ed with  great  respect  279 

is  forcibly  taken  into  Egypt  290 

remonstrates  against  the  idolatry  of  the  people 
and  denounces  the  divine  vengeance  against 
them  ib. 

the  manner  of  his  death,  note  291 

Jericho,  siege  of  by  Joshua  described  i.      290 

is  taken  and  burnt  ib. 

Jcreboam  son  of  Nabat  is  made  overseer  of  Solo- 
mon's building,  Sec.  ii.       91 

is  told  by  Ahijah  the  prophet  that  he  shall  suc- 
ceed Solomon  in  ten  tribes  out  of  the  twelve  ib. 

they  accordingly  revolt,  and  espouse  his  interest 

against  Rehoboam  9» 

enlarges  Shechem  and  makes  it  a  royal  eity  ,       97 

sets  up  two  golden  calves,  one  at  Dan,  and  the 

other  at  Bethel  ib. 

takes  upon  him  the  character  of  high-priest  98 

is  reproved  by  a  prophet  from  Jerusalem  ib. 

the  purport  of  the  prophecy  ib. 

is  so  incensed  thereat,  that  he  stretches  out  his 

hand,  and  orders  the  prophet  to  be  seized  09 

his  hand  is  instantly  withered,  but,  at  his 
earnest  solicitation,  is  restored  by  the  prophet  ib* 

sends  his  queen  in  disguise  to  the  prophet  Ahijah 
to  consult  him  relative  to  his  son  Ahijah,  who 
had  fallen  sick  ICO 

uses  every  means  in  his  power  to  establish  idol- 
atry 

vol.  iv.         3  IT 


103 


*26  INDEX. 

.  VOL.    PAGE, 

Jereboam  is  defeated  by  Abijam  king  of  Judah, 

and  never  after  able  to  make  any  opposition  ii.    105 

Iiis  death  109 

Jeroboam  II.  succeeds  bis  fatber  Joasb  in  the  king- 
dom of  Israel  ±sq 

is  greatly  assisted  in  the  beginning  of  bis  reign, 

by  the  prophet  Jonah  jb. 

recovers  a  large  territory  which  had  been  taken 

from  his  predecessors  ib» 

dies  with  great  honor  and  renown,  but  leaves  the 
government  in  such  confusion  that  there  was 
an  inter-regnum  of  twenty-two  years  ib. 

Jerusalem,  the  name  it  went  by  before  it  was  re- 
duced by  David,  note  i.     458 

description  of  it  as  it  stood  at  the  time  Solomon 

built  the  temple  ii.       63 

its  present  state  73 

the  previous  signs  of  its  destruction  290 

siege  of  it  by  Titus  331 

dreadful  famine  in  334 

is  reduced,  the  greater  part  burnt,  and  the  rest 

levelled  with  the  ground  336 

Jesus,  his  name  determined  by  a  particular  appoint- 
ment from  heaven  iii.   s35 

is  born  at  an  inn  in  Bethlehem,  and  laid  in  a 

manger  326 

his  birth  is  made  known  to  some  poor  shepherds 

on  the  plains  of  Bethlehem  ib. 

the  triumphant  doxology  of  a   whole  choir  of 

angels  thereupon  ib. 

is  visited  and  adored  by  the  poor  shepherds  ib. 

is  circumcised  on  the  eighth  day  after  his  birth  ib. 

is  carried  soon  after  to  Jerusalem,  by  his  mother 
and  Joseph,  and  presented  to  the  Lord  in  the 
temple  327 

his  manifestation  to  old  Simeon  and  Anna,  by 
whom,  in  an  holy  extaey  he  is  publicly  de- 
clared to  be  the  true  Messiah  ib. 

as  also  to  three  wise  men  of  the  East  328 

is  attempted  to  be  murdered  by  Herod,  and  why  ib. 

is  thereupon  carried  into  Egypt,  where  he  re- 
mains till  the  death  of  Herod  330 

goes  up  at  twelve  years  of  age,  with  his  parents 
to  Jerusalem,  to  celebrate  the  feast  of  the 
Passover  332 

stays  behind  them,  and  their  concern  thereupon  33  i 

\ 


INDIA  w: 

VOL.    TAGE. 

Jesus  is  found  soon  after  disputing  with  the  doctors 

in  one  of  the  rooms  of  the  temple  iii.    334 

is  blamed  by  his  mother  for  putting  her  into  a 
frightj  and  li is  excuse  thereupon  ib* 

returns  u  itli  his  patents  to  Nazareth,  and  lives  in 

all  dutiful  subjection  under  them  ih. 

follows  the  profession  of  a  carpenter,  and,  though 
in  favor  u  ith  God  and  Man,  lives  in  a  very  ob- 
scure manner  ">,}3 

removes  from  Nazareth,  and  goes  to  TJethabara 
in  Judea,  where  he  is  baptized  by  John  in  the 
liver  Jordan  337 

the  extraordinary  circumstance  that  attended  that 

solemnity  ib. 

retires  into  the  wilderness  of  Judea,  where  he 
fasts  in  a  miraculous  manner,  for  forty  days 
and  forty  nights  338 

is  tempted  by  the  devil,  and  the  nature  of  the 

temptation  ib. 

exerts  his  Divine  power,  and  subdues  the  Devil  340 

is  comforted  by  angels  after  his  conquest  ib. 

makes  choice  of  several  persons,  and  who,  to  be 

his  disciples  342 

his  first  miracle  of  turning  water  into  wine  at 

Cana  in  Galilee  343 

goes  from  Cana  to  Capernaum,  and  from  thence 
to  Jerusalem  to  celebrate  the  feast  of  the  Pass- 
over, reforms  the  public  abuse  and  profana- 
tion of  the  temple,  and  in  what  manner  344 

his  dispute  with  the  Jews  thereupon  3i5 

works  many  miracles  soon  after  and  discourses 

with  Nicodemus  concerning  regeneration  il>. 

retires  into  the  remote  parts  of  Judea,  and  makes 

proselytes  wherever  he  goes  348 

makes  his  disciples  baptize  them,  and  why  ib. 

his  removal  into  Galilee,  and  for  what  350 

is  invited  into  Samaria,  and  received  with  great 
civility  by  the  inhabitants,  the  greater  part  of 
whom  embrace  his  doctrine  352 

returns  to  Cana,  where  he  is  received  with  the 

most  distinguished  respect  by  the  people  ib. 

cures  a  nobleman's  son  at  a  distance,  and  converts 

both  him  and  his  family  ib. 

goes  to  Nazareth,  and  there  preaches  to  the 
people  in  the  synagogue,  who  are  so  incensed 
that  they  hurry  him  to  the  brow  of  a  hill  in 


"438  INDEX. 

VOL.   PAGE, 

order  to  put  him  to  death,  but  by  a  miraculous 
pow  r  he  is  drawn  from  their  fury  iii.    353 

Jesus  removes   to  Capernaum,  and  there  takes  up 

his  residence  ib„ 

the  wonderful  draft  of  fishes  caught  there  by  his 

orders  35i 

invites  Peter,  James  and  John  to  become  his  dis- 
ciples ib. 

cures  a  person  possessed  of  an  unclean  spirit  ib. 

goes  to  Peter's  house,  and  restores  his  wife's 
mother,  who  was  dangerously  ill,  to  perfect 
health  355 

relieves  many  distressed  people  who  had  assem- 
bled about  Peter's  house  from  their  respective 
infirmities  ib. 

leaves  Capernaum,  and  goes  into  different  parts 

of  Galilee  ib. 

cures  a  person  of  a  leprosy  with  a  single  touch  356 

returns  to  Capernaum,  where  he  cures  a  para- 
lytic ib. 

gives  him  an  absolution  from  his  sins  357 

is  censured  for  it  by  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  ib. 

his  reproof,  and  their  conviction  thereupon  ib. 

calls  Matthew,  a  publican,  from  the  receipt  of 
custom,  who  immediately  forsakes  his  employ- 
ment and  follows  him  358 

is  censured,  and  by  whom,  for  keeping  company 

with  publicans  ib. 

his  arguments  in  support  of  his  conduct  359 

vindicates  his  disciples  for  not  observing  fasts  ib. 

cures  a  paralytic  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda  on  the 

sabbath-day  361 

is  siezed  by  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  who  con- 
sidering him  as  an  open  profaner  of  the  sab- 
hath,  carry  him  hefore  the  Sanhedrim  with  a 
design  of  taking  away  his  life  363 

his  defence  before  the  council  ib. 

is  taken  Hereupon  not  only  to  he  a  sabbath- 
breaker,  but  a  blasphemer  ib. 

vindicates  his  disciples,  who  are  charged  with 
pull:ng  some  ears  of  corn  in  the  fields,  and  eat- 
ing them  on  the  sa)>bath-day  365 

and  himself  for  curing  a  man  with  a  withered 

hand  on  the  same  day  Jb. 

is  forced,  through  the*  malice  of  the  Pharisees 
and  Herodians,  who  sought  his  life,  to  with- 
draw to  the  sea-side  366 


INDEX.  i  ft 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Dcsus  cures  all  the  sick   and  possessed  that  are 

brought  to  him  iii.   367 

retires  to  a  solitary  mountain,  where  he  makes 

an  election  of  twelve  persons  to  be  his  apostles  il>. 

their  respective  names  ib. 

his  famous  sermon  <»n  the  mount  368 

goes  to  Capernaum,  and  heals  the  servant  of  a 

Roman  centurion  375 

raises  to  life  a  widow's  son  at  Nam  376 

is  sent  to  by  John  the  Baptist,  and  on  what  ac- 
count 378 
his  answer  ib. 
his  discourse  to  the  people  concerning  St.  John, 

and  his  encomium  of  him  380 

denounces  a  judgment  on  the  people  of  several 

cities  who  rejected  his  doctrine  ib. 

his  discourse  with   Simon  a  Pharisee,  and  on 

what  occasion  382 

his  parable  of  two  debtors  383 

absolves  a  woman  from  her  sins,  and  on  what  oc- 
casion ib. 
cures  a  demoniac  at  Capernaum,  whereupon  the 
Pharisees  blaspheme,  and  for  which  he  sharp- 
ly rebukes  them                                                                   384* 
reproves  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  for  demand- 
ing a  sign                                                                               385 
shews  who  are  true  relations                                               386 
instructs  the  multitude  in  parables                                       ib. 
allays  the  storm  at  sea                                                         388 
cures  two  demoniacs  at  Gadara                                          3S9 
returns  to  Capernaum,  and  cures  a  woman  who 
had  been  afflicted  with  a  bloody  flux  for  twelve 
years                                                                                390 
restores  the  daughter  of  Jairus  to  life                               391 
cures  two  blind  men  and  one  dumb  demoniac                   392 
goes  again  to  Nazareth,   and  preaches  in  the 
synagogue,  but  being  ill-treated  by  the  people, 
after  finishing  his  discourse,  leaves  the  city                   ib. 
sends  out  the  apostles,  and  gives  them  their  com- 
mission                                                                              393 
on  their  return  he  retires  with  them  to  a  desart 

near  Bethsaida  596 

feeds  a  great  multitude  of  people  with  only  five 

loaves  and  two  fishes  39S 


430  INDEX. 

VOL.   PAGE. 

Jesus  walks  upon  the  surface  of  the  sea  iii.  400 

saves  Peter  as  he  was  sinking  into  the  sea,  and 

walks  with  him  to  the  vessel  ib. 

discourses  to  the  people  whom  he  had  fed  con- 
cerning spiritual  blessings  401 

vindicates  the  practice  of  eating  with  unwashed 

hands  402 

cures  the  Syro-Phcenician's  daughter  403 

cures  a  deaf  and  dumb  man  404 

heals  all  sick  persons  that  are  brought  to  him, 
and  once  more  feeds  a  great  multitude  with  a 
very  small  quantity  of  provisions  405 

upbraids  the  Pharisees  and  Saddueees,  and  for 

what  ib. 

cures  a  blind  man  at  Ecthsaida  406 

makes  trial  of  his  apostles'  faith  407 

gives  them  strict  charge  not  to  tell  any  one  that 

he  was  the  Messiah,  and  why  408 

lets  tliem  into  the  knowledge  of  his  future  suffer- 
ings, and  explains  to  them  the  nature  of  his 
kingdom  ib. 

takes  Peter,  James  and  John  to  the  top  of  a 
mountain,  and  there  shews  them  his  trans- 
figuration 409 

charges  them,  on  their  descent,  not  to  tell  any 
man  what  strange  things  they  had  seen,  till 
after  his  resurrection  410 

cures  one  that  was  a  lunatic,  and  possessed,  after 

his  apostles  had  exerted  their  power  in  vain  411 

foretels  his  death  to  his  disciples,  and  recom- 
mends to  them  humility  and  forgiveness  of  in- 
juries 413 

pays  the  collectors  at  Capernaum  the  tribute- 
money  for  the  use  of  the  temple,  and  obtains 
the  money  for  that  purpose  by  a  most  astonish- 
ing miracle  415 

meets  with  uncivil  treatment  at  Samaria,  in  his 

way  to  Jerusalem  418 

the  indignity,  how  far  resented  by  James  and 

John  ib. 

refuses  to  destroy  Samaria  at  their  request  ib. 

on  the  contrary,  heals  ten  leprous  persons  there  419 

sends  out  seventy  of  his  disciples  to  the  several 

places  he  proposes  to  visit  ib. 

arrives  at  Jerusalem,  and  preaches  openly  in  the 
temple  ib. 


index.  m 

VOL.    rAGE. 

Jesus  is  ordered  by  (he  Sanhedrim  to  he  appre- 
hended) hut  those  orders  are  not  executed,  and 
why  iii.     i  BS 

acquits  a  woman  brought  before  him  for  having 

committed  adultery,  and  why  424 

preaches  to  the  people  the  mysteries  ol"  Christi- 
anity 426 

promises  eternal  life  to  his  disciples  428 

states  the  true  character  of  a  neighbor,  which  lie 
displays  in  the  heautiful  parable  of  the  Sa- 
maritan 429 

in  his  way  to  Galilee  stops  at  a  village  called 
Bethany,  where  he  is  joyfully  received  by  two 
Bisters  named  Martha  and  Mary,  but  prefers 
the  conduct  of  the  latter  430 

teaches  and  encourages  his  disciples  to  pray  431 

inveighs  against  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  ib. 

refuses  to    arbitrate   between    two  contending 

brothers,  and  why  432 

preaches  against  covetousness,  and  exhorts  the 
people  to  watchfulness,  a  preparation  for  death 
and  judgment,  and  for  a  timely  repentance  ib. 

shews  the  goodness  of  God  towards  the  Jews  in, 

the  parable  of  the  fig-tree  433 

preaches  every  day  in  one  of  the  Jewish  syna- 
gogues 434 

cures  a  crooked  woman,  and  confutes  the  ruler 
of  the  synagogue,  who  was  envious,  and  dis- 
pleased on  that  account  435 

cures  a  man  that  was  born  blind,  and  the  alter- 
cations consequent  thereupon  ib. 

shews  the  Pharisees  to  be  false  guides,  and  him- 
self the  true  one  442 

is  in  danger  of  being  stoned,  and  for  what  ib. 

miraculously  escapes  their  resentment  443 

shews  the  difficulty  of  attaining  salvation,  and 

the  wretchedness  of  the  Jews  in  rejecting  it  444 

denounces  the  heavy  judgment   that  would  befal 

Jerusalem  445 

cures  a  man  afflicted  with  the  dropsy  on  the  sab- 
bath-day, and  justifies  the  action  ib. 

recommends  humility  and  charity  to  the  poor  i  46 

shews  the  different  success  of  the  Gospel,  and 
the  rejection  of  it  by  the  Jews,  which  he  repre- 
sents by  way  of  parable  *47 


*22  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Jesus  tells  the  people  what  they  are  to  expect  if 

they  become  his  disciples  iii.    448 

vindicates  his  own  conduct  in  sometimes  con- 
versing with  sinners  ib. 

his  beautiful  parable  of  the  prodigal  son  on  that 

occasion  4i9 

shews  the  manner  in  which  we  are  to  employ  our 
riches,  and  the  miserable  consequence  of  un- 
charitableness,  which  he  displays  in  the  para- 
ble of  the  artful  steward  452 

his  parable  of  the  rich  man  and  the  beggar  453 

points  out  the  sacredness  of  marriage,  and  states 

the  case  of  divorces  455 

reminds  his  disciples  of  several  duties,  more  es- 
pecially that  of  humility,  which  he  displays  in 
the  parable  of  the  Pharisee  and  Publican  456 

discourses  with  the  Pharisees  about  the  kingdom 

of  heaven  ib. 

cautions  his  disciples  not  to  be  deluded  by  false 

Christs  and  false  prophets  457 

his  parable  of  the  unjust  judge  ib. 

leaves  Galilee,  and  crossing  the  river  Jordan  en- 
ters Perea,  Avhere  he  cures  great  numbers  of 
people  afflicted  with  various  disorders  459 

kindly  receives  the  children  brought  to  him  to 

partake  of  his  Divine  benediction  460 

shews  to  the  people  the  great  danger  of  riches, 
and  the  rewards  of  a  faithful  adherence  to  him 
and  his  religion,  which  he  displays  under  the 
parable  of  laborers  in  a  vineyard  462 

is  applied  to  by  Martha  and  Mary  in  behalf  of 
their  brother  Lazarus,  who  is  sick,  upon 
which  he  leaves  Perea,  and  goes  to  Bethany  465 

on  the  way  corrects  his  apostles'  mistakes,  and 

foretels  his  approaching  sufferings  ib. 

restores  Bartimeus,  a  blind  man,  to  sight,  and 
dines  with  Zaccheus,  a  publican,  at  whose  house 
he  delivers  the  parable  of  the  servants  intrust- 
ed with  their  lord's  money  46£ 

arrives  at  Bethany,  and  raises  Lazarus  from  the 
dead,  to  the  great  astonishment  of  the  specta- 
tors 469 

the  news  of  this  miracle  reaching  Jerusalem,  the 
Sanhedrim  form  the  resolution  of  having  him 
put  to  death,  upon  which  he  retires,  for  a  short 
time,  to  Ephraim  474 


INDEX. 

VOL.   PAGE. 

J<  -.is  loaves  Ephraim,  and  proceeds  towards  Jeru- 
salem, in  order  to  celebrate  the  least  of  the 
passover  iii.    475 

sups  at  Bethany  with  Lazarus,  where  Mary 
anoints  his  i'cet  with  spikenard,  and  wipes  them 
with  the  hair  of  her  bead  ib. 

on  Judas's  repining  thereat,  he  vindicates  her 

conduct  ib. 

makes  his  public  entry  into  Jerusalem,  amidst 

the  universal  acclamations  of  the  people  476 

on  his  arrival  in  the  city,  he  goes  immediately 
into  the  temple,  and  finds  the  court  of  the 
Gentiles  most  shamefully  profaned  478 

makes  an  immediate  reformation,  by  driving  out 

all  the  buyers  and  sellers  ib. 

cures  many  people  of  their  respective  infirmities  479 

acquaints   his   disciples    with   his   approaching 

death  ib. 

is,  for  a  moment,  shocked  at  the  horrors  of  it, 
but,  upon  recollection,  testifies  his  resignation 
to  the  Divine  will  480 

goes  to  Bethany,  on  his  return  from  which  he 

denounces  judgment  on  a  fig-tree  482 

teaches  all  day  in  the  temple,  and  argues  with 

the  chief  priests  and  scribes  there  ib. 

reproves  their  hypocrisy  in  the  parable  of  the 
sons  commanded  to  work  in  their  father's 
vineyard  483 

his  parable  of  the  householder  485 

and  that  of  the  marriage-feast  48G 

answers  the  captious  questions  of  the  Herodians 
and  Pharisees  concerning  the  payment  of  trib- 
ute to  Csesar  489 

as  also  those  of  the  Sadducees  concerning  the  re- 
surrection 490 

and  those  of  the  Pharisees  concerning  the  great 

commandment  in  the  law  492 

exhorts  his  apostles  to  have  faith  in  God,  fer- 
vency in  prayer,  and  a  forgiving  temper  495 

exposes  the  vices  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  ib. 

denounces  a  judgment  on  them  for  their  hypocrisy  497 

bewails  the  fate  of  Jerusalem  500 

commends  a  poor  widow's  charity  50J. 

foretels  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  the 

temple  50*2 

vol.  iv.        8  I 


43*  INDEX* 

VOL,  PA6E." 

Jesus  retires  to  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and  there,  at 
the  request  of  his  disciples,  informs  them  of 
the  signs  that  should  precede  the  destruction 
of  the  city  iii.    503 

cautions  his  disciples  against  being  deluded  by 

false  prophets  504 

exhorts  them  to  watchfulness  and  prayer  507 

delivers  to  them  his  parable  of  the  ten  virgins  508 

as  also  that  of  the  talents  delivered  to  the  faith- 
ful and  slothful  servants  510 

describes  the  manner  of  his  coming  to  the  last 

and  general  judgment  512 

goes  to  Bethany,  and  sups  with  Simon  the  leper     iv.         6 

Mary's  testimony  of  her  love  and  respect  for  him 

how  expressed  ib» 

reproves  his  disciples  for  having  blamed  Mary 

for  her  conduct  ib. 

sups  at  the  house  of  Martha,  and  condescends  to 

wash  his  disciples'  feet  7 

explains  to  them  the  meaning  of  so  doing  8 

foretels  them  of  his  being  betrayed,  and  by  whom  ib. 

revives  them  with  the  promises  of  a  better  life, 
and  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost  after  his  de- 
cease 10 

eats  the  passover,  and  tells  his  disciples  who 

should  betray  him  ib. 

institutes  the  sacramental  supper  ib. 

reproves  his  apostles  for  their  ambitious  thoughts  13 

foretels  the  apostacy  of  Peter,  and  his  future 

cowardice  14 

comforts  them   all  under  the  thoughts  of  his 

leaving  them  15 

finishes  the  passover,  sings  an  hymn,  and  retires 

with  his  disciples  to  the  Mount  of  Olives  ib. 

again  forewarns  Peter  of  his  apostacy  ib. 

instructs  his  apostles  for  the  last  time,  by  de- 
livering to  them  the  parable  of  the  choice 
vine  and  careful  husbandman  16 

prays  for  himself,  his  apostles,  and  all  succeed- 
ing Christians  25 

retires  into  the  garden  of  Gethsemanc  28 

his  prayer  and  agony  there  29 

is  comforted  by  an  angel  ib. 

is  betrayed  by  Judas  by  a  sign,  and  what  30 

gives  a  remarkable  instance  of  his  Divine  power  ib. 

is  apprehended  31 


index:  4.11 

VOL.    FAGE. 

Jesus  cures  Malchus,  one  of  the  high-priest's  ser- 
vants, whose  ear  Peter  had  cut  off  iv.       31 

is  deserted  by  his  apostles  32 

is  first  taken  before  Annas,  and  afterwards  be- 
fore Caiphas  and  the  Sanhedrim  33 

is  strictly  examined,  and  grossly  insulted  1 1 

his  modest  reply  thereupon  ib. 

declares   himself,   in   direct   terms,   to   be    the 

Messiah,  the  Son  of  God  35 

is  charged  as    a   blasphemer,   and  pronounced 

guilty  of  death  ib. 

is  insulted  by  the  soldiers,  and  thrice  denied  by 

Peter  36 

is  condemned  by  the  Sanhedrim,  and  carried  be- 
fore Pon'ius  Pilate,  ,\  ho,  judging  him  innocent, 
endeavors  to  save  him  38 

is  taken  before  Herod  4.3 

who  looks  upon  him  as  an  insignificant,  despica- 
ble person  ib» 

is  committed  first  to  the  insults  of  his  guards, 
and  then  sent  back  to  Pilate  with  derision  44 

is  brought  before  Pilate,  by  whom  he  is  acquitted, 
and  the  clamors  of  the  people  thereupon  ib. 

is  offered  by  Pilate  to  be  released,  instead  of  a 

malefactor,  but  to  no  purpose  ib. 

is  ordered  to  be  scourged,  and  with  what  view  45 

has  sentence  of  condemnation  pronounced  against 
him  by  Pilate  after  all,  though  with  the  utmost 
reluctance  48 

is  led  to  the  place  of  his  crucifixion,  and  grossly 

insulted  by  the  soldiers  on  the  way  49 

foretels  the  calamities  that  would  befal  Jerusa- 
lem ib. 

is  nailed  to  the  cross  between  two  common  male- 
factors 50 

the  inscription  upon  it  51 

his  garments,  how  divided,  and  by  whom  ib. 

is  reviled  and  abused  by  the  multitude  52 

as  also  by  one  of  the  malefactors  ib« 

promises  the  other  a  speedy  felicity  in  his  Father's 

kingdom  53 

the  preternatural  emotions  during  his  crucifixion  56 

recommends  his  mother  to  the  care  and  protec- 
tion of  his  disciple  John  57 

languishes  for  a  time  under  his  agonies,  utters 
his  last  cGmplaint,  and  dies  69 


436  IiVDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE.' 

the  earthquake  after  his  death,  and  the  senti- 
ments of  the  people  (.hereupon  iv.       59 

his  side  is  pierced  with  a  spear  by  one  of  the 

soldiers  62 

his  body  is  begged  by  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  in 

order  for  interment  i!>. 

his  sepulchre  guarded  65 

his  resurrection,  and  the  extraordinary  circum- 
stances that  attended  it  66 

appears  to  Mary  Magdalene  67 

and  to  two  of  his  disciples  who  were  walking  to 

Emmaus  69 

the  conference  he  had  with  them  ib. 

suddenly  appears  to'len  of  his  disciples,  while 

they  were  in  a  private  room,  and  the  door  shut  72 

eats  with  them,  and  for  what  reason  ib. 

gives  them  some  farther  instructions  relative  to 

their  future  conduct,  and  then  disappears  73 

appears  to  them  again,  and  convinces  Thomas  in 
particular  (who  was  absent  before)  of  the  re- 
ality of  his  resurrection  7~i 

appears  to  Peter,  and  others,  as  they  were  fish- 
ing, and  divides  food  among  them  for  their  re- 
freshment 76 

enters  into  particular  conversation  with  Peter  77 

gives  him  certain  instructions  ib. 

appears,  not  only  to  his  apostles,  but  likewise  to 
a  great  number  of  his  disciples  on  a  certain 
mountain  in  Galilee,  which  himself  had  ap- 
pointed for  their  meeting  -  ib. 

appears,  for  the  last  time,  to  the  apostles  and 
some  of  their  select  friends  at  Jerusalem,  and 
instructs  them  in  many  particulars  relative  to 
their  future  conduct  78 

leads  them  to  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and  then  be- 
stows his  benediction  on  them  ib. 

is   gradually    taken    up  into   heaven   in   their 

presence  79 

reflections  on  his  life  and  character  SO 

observations  on  the  nature  of  his  religion,  and 

the  great  benefits  that  must  inevitably  result 

to  all  those  who  shall,  by  faith,  receive  and 

embrace  his  holy  doctrine  83 

Jethro,  prince   of  Midian,   receives  Moses   very 

courteously  i.      172 


INDEX 

VOL.   PAGE. 

Jethro  visits  him  at  Mount  Sinai,  and  advises  liim  to 
appoint  deputies  for  the  better  government  of 
the  people  i. 

Jewish  Kitual,  or  Ceremonial  Law,  account  of  iii.    305 

Jezahel,  Avile  of  Ahab,  king  of  Israel,  procures  (he 

death  of  Xaboth,  a  citizen  of  Jezreel  ii.     127 

is  tln'own  out  of  a  window,  by  order  of  Jehu  king 

of  Israel  169 

her  body  devoured  by  dogs  170 

Joab,  the  general  of  David's  forces,  marches 
against  those  of  Ishbosheth,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Abner  his  general,  whom  he  defeats 
a  id  puts  to  ilight  i.       450 

treacherously  murders   Abner  4-54 

storms  Jerusalem,  and  takes  it  sword  in  hand  457 

lays  siege  to  Kabbah,  the  capital  city  belonging 

to  the  Ammonites  469 

reduces  it,  and  sends  for  David  to  take  posses- 
sion of  it  48 1 

treacherously  murders  Amasa,  and  makes  him- 
self head  of  David's  forces  ii.       14 

flies  to  the  sanctuary  for  refuge,  and  is  there  put 

to  death  by  order  of  Solomon  52 

Joash,  king  of  Israel,  receives  a  challenge  from 

Amaziah,  king  of  Judah  182 

treats  the  message  with  contempt  ib. 

takes  him  prisoner,  and  carries  him  to  Jerusa- 
lem, which  he  enters  in  triumph,  and  after 
plundering  the  temple  and  palace  of  all  that  is 
valuable,  returns  to  Samaria  183 

pays  a  visit  to  the  prophet  Elisha,  who  advises 

him  to  wage  war  against  the  Syrians  ISi 

takes  his  advice,  defeats  Benhadad  in  three  pitched 
battles,  recovers  all  the  cities  that  had  been 
taken  from  his  father  Jehoahaz,  and  adjoins 
them  to  the  kingdom  of  Israel  1S5 

dies  in  peace,  and  is  succeeded  by  his  son  Jero- 
boam 186 
Job,  book  of,  its  contents  358 

observations  on  his  descent,  and  place  of  resi- 
dence ib. 

at  what  time  he  lived,  359 

who  was  the  author  of  the  book  so  called  360 

history  of  him  and  his  three  friends  3>  1 

Joel  the  prophet,  when  he  lived,  and  the  contents 

of  his  prophecies  199 


438  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE^ 

John  the  Evangelist,  propagates  the  Gospel  in 
various  parts,  but  makes  Ephesus  the  chief 
place  of  his  residence  iv.     223 

an  accusation  is  laid  against  him  before  the  em- 
peror Domitian,  upon  which  he  is  sent  prison- 
er to  Rome,  and  there  thrown  into  a  cauldron 
of  boiling  oil  224 

is  miraculously  delivered  therefrom,  and  after- 
wards banished  to  the  island  of  Patmos,  where 
he  writes  his  book  of  Revelations  ib. 

returns  into  Asia,  and  again  fixes  his  residence 

at  Ephesus  225 

his  death  ib. 

account  of  his  writings  ib. 

John  the  Baptist,  his  birth  and  parentage  iii.    324 

opens  his  commission  for  the  preparation  of  our 
Saviour,  by  preaching  the  baptism  of  repent- 
ance for  the  remission  of  sins  335 

his  austere  manner  of  life  336 

lives  upon  locusts  and  wild  honey  ib. 

his  resolute  preaching  procures  him  a  great  num- 
ber of  proselytes  ib. 

his  testimony  of  Christ,  and  of  his  baptism  337 

his  testimony  of  him  to  his  disciples  340 

reproves  Herod  Antipas  for  his  wicked  course  of 
life  349 

is  thrown  into  prison  at  the  instigation  of  Hero- 
dias,  the  wife  of  Herod  ib. 

sends  two  of  his  disciples,  whilst  in  prison,  to  our 
Saviour,  to  enquire  of  him  whether  he  was  the 
promised  Messiah,  or  who  else  378 

his  reason  for  so  doing  379 

great  encomiums  passed  on  him  by  Christ  him- 
self 380 

his  death,  and  the  manner  of  it  394 

character  of  him  by  Josephus  395 

John  Mark,  who  he  was  iv.     245 

for  some  time  accompanies  Paul  and  Barnabas, 
and  assists  them  in  propagating  the  Gospel,  in 
various  parts  ib. 

leaves  Pawl  at  Antioch,  and  goes  with  Barnabas 

to  the  island  of  Cyprus  2  i  3 

is  supposed  to  have  died  at  Ephesus  ib* 

Jonadab,  brother  to  David,  projects  a  scheme  for 
his  nephew  Amnon,  eldest  son  of  David,  in  or- 
der that  he  may  obtain  his  ends  of  his  sister 


VOL.     PACE. 

Tamar,  with  whom  he  had  fallen  desperately 
love  i.      484 

Jonah  the  prophet  receives  a  Divine  commission 
to  go  to  Nineveh,  and  denounce  heavy  judg- 
ments against  the  inhabitants  of  that  city,  hut 
instead  thereof  takes  shipping  at  Joppa,  with 
iutent  to  go  to  Tarshish  ii.     187 

meets  with  a  violent  storm  in  his  passage  18S 

his  ingenuous  confession  to  the  sailors  who  he 

was  189 

is  thrown  overboard,  and  swallowed  by  a  great 
fish,  in  whose  belly  he  remains  three  days  and 
nights,  and  is  then  cast  on  shore  190 

is  again  commanded  to  go  to  Nineveh,  which 
order  he  immediately  obeys,  and  publicly  de- 
nounces the  destruction  of  that  city  ib. 

the  inhabitants  proclaim  a  fast  on  the  occasion  191 

their  doom  is  reversed,  in  consequence  of  their 
repentance  ib. 

his  displeasure  thereat,  and  for  what  reasons  192 

is  unhappy  at  the  loss  of  his  gourd  193 

is  convinced  of  the  impropriety  of  his  conduct, 

and  the  great  kindness  of  his  Divine  master  194» 

some  observations  on  his  book  ib. 

Jonathan,  the  son  of  Mattathias,  succeeds  his  father 
Judas  Maccabceus  in  the  command  of  the 
Jewish  forces  iii.     14 

makes  a  peace  with  Bacchides,  commander  of 

the  Syrian  army  16 

retires  to  Machmas,  and  there  governs  the  people 

according  to  law  17 

is  desired  by  Alexander  and  Demetrius,  the  two 
competitors  for  the  Syrian  crown,  to  be  their 
ally  ib. 

joins  with  the  former,  and  accepts  of  the  high- 
priesthood  20 

is  highly  respected  by  Ptolemy  king  of  Egypt, 

and  made  general  of  all  his  forces  21 

vanquishes   Apollonius's    army,    and     destroys 

the  temple  of  the  idol  Dagon  at  Azotus  22 

is  highly  honored  for  his  victories  by  Alexander, 
and  receives  several  valuable  presents  as  a  re- 
ward for  his  merit  23 

assists  Demetrius  with  his  forces  to  reduce  An- 

tioch,  but  is  badly  requited  for  it  25 


410  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Jonathan  receives  great  honors  from  Antiochus,  the 

successor  of  Demetrius  iii.      29 

forms  a  league  of  friendship  with  the  Romans  31 

repairs  the  walls  of  Jerusalem,  fortifies  the  city, 
and  places  garrisons  in  the  most  material 
places  throughout  Judea  33 

is  made  prisoner  by  the  artifices  of  Tryphon,  his 

pretended  friend  34 

and,  with  his  two  sons,  put  to  death  36 

his  remains  interred  with  great  honor  by  his 
brother  Simon,  and  a  handsome  monument 
erected  to  his  memory  37 

Jonathan,  son  of  Saul,  cuts  off  a  garrison  of  the 

Philistines  in  Geba  i.     394 

he  and  his  armor-bearer  fall  on  them  unawares, 
kill  some,  and  throw  the  whole  army  into 
confusion  396 

is  in  great  danger  by  disobeying  his  father's  in- 
terdict 397 

contracts  a  friendship  with  David,  which  lasts 

as  long  as  they  both  live  40S 

is  commanded  by  Saul  to  dispatch  David,  but, 
instead  thereof,  acquaints  him  with  his  orders, 
and  gives  him  his  advice  thereupon  412 

expostulates  with  his  father,  and  reconciles  him 

to  David  ib. 

contrives  a  method  of  securing  David  from  the 

resentment  of  his  father  417 

is  killed  by  the  Philistines  4i3 

his  character,  note  ib. 

is  greatly  lamented  by  David  446 

Joppa,  a  sea-port  town  in  Palestine,  its  situation, 

with  an  account  of  its  ancient  and  present 

state,  note  ii.  188 

Jordan,  river  of,  described,  note  i-      48 

Joseph  the  patriarch,  his  birth  96 

import  of  his  name  ib. 

is  the  darling  of  his*  father  Jacob,  but  hated  by 

his  brothers  113 

is  distinguished  by  a  coat  made  of  party-colored 

stuff  ib. 

he  explains  two  dreams  to  his  brethren,  at  which 
they  are  so  disgusted,  that  they  resolve  to  put 
him  to  death  11* 

he  is  sold  to  some  Ishmaelitish  merchants,  who 
carry  him  to  Egypt,  and  there  sell  him  to  Pot- 
iphar,  the  captain  of  Pharaoh's  guards  117 


INDEX.  441 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Joseph  is  tempted  by  Potiphar's  wife,  but  resists, 

aud  severely  rebukes  her  fop  her  conduct  i.      i23 

in  consequence  of  his  refusal  she  artfully  accuses 
hind  of  having  endeavored,  in  a  forcible  man- 
ner, to  violate  her  chastity  12$ 

is  committed  to  the  king's  prison  ib. 

interprets  the  dream  of  the  king's  cup-bearer,  as 

also  that  of  his  chief  baker  125 

interprets  two  dreams  to  Pharaoh,  and  gives  him 

advice  thereupon  127 

is,  in  consequence  thereof,  made  chief  ruler,  or 

prime  minister  to  Pharaoh  128 

marries  Asenath,  the  daughter  of  Potipherah, 

priest  of  On  129 

takes  a  progress  through  the  kingdom,  and  lays 
up  large  stores  of  corn  in  divers  granaries, 
against  the  year  of  famine  ib. 

has  two  sons  by  his  wife  Asenath,  viz.  Manasseh 
and  Ephraim  ib. 

import  of  their  names  ib. 

is  applied  to  for  provision  by  his  brethren  130 

treats  them  as  spies  131 

commands  Simeon  to  be  bound  and  detained  as  an 

hostage  for  the  rest  132 

treats  them  with  indulgence  on  their  coming  a 

second  time  on  the  same  errand  135 

is  particularly  kind  to  Benjamin  136 

has  one  fright  more  for  them  in  reserve^  and 

what  137 

discovers  himself  to  them  with  great  tenderness 

and  affection  1*0 

by  Pharaoh's   particular  orders  sends  for  his 

father  and  family  1*2 

is  very  liberal  to  all  his  brothers,  but  especially 
to  Benjamin,  and  dismisses  them  with  many 
rich  presents  1D* 

goes  in  great  pomp  to  meet  his  father  and  rela- 
tions on  their  arrival  in  Egypt  144 

his  interview  with  his  father,  and  their  mutual 
joy  on  the  occasion  1D* 

presents  his  brothers  to  the  king,  by  whom  they 

are  graciously  received  *** 

and  afterwards  introduces  his  father  *»• 

manages  his  affairs  with  the  people  in  so  artful 
a  manner  as  to  bring  all  their  monies  into  the 
king's  coffers 

yoi.  iv.         3  K 


4*2  INDEX. 

VOL,    PAGE. 

Joseph  visits  Lis  father  iu  his  sickness  i.     149 

his  great  piety  towards  hirn,  note  150 

attends  his  father's  funeral  obsequies  157 

kindly  promises  his  brethren  to  forget  all  former 

injuries  158 

his  death  159 

character  of  him  by  Moses  and  other  writers  ib. 

comparison  between  Joseph  and  our  Blessed  Re- 
deemer 163 

his  bones,  in  compliance  with  his  request  a  short 
time  before  his  death,  are  carried  out  of  Egypt 
by  Moses  199 

and  decently  interred  at  Shechem  302 

Joseph,  nephew  to  Onias  the  high-priest,  farms  the 
revenues  of  Syria,  Phoenicia,  Judea,  and  Sa- 
maria, and  makes  good  the  arrears  of  his 
uncle  Eleazar  ii.    455 

is  supplanted  in  his  office  by  his  son  Hyrcanus  460 

Joseph  of  Arimathea  buries  our  Saviour  iv.      62 

Josephus,  the  celebrated  Jewish  historian,  is  sent 

to  take  upon  him  the  government  of  Galilee  305 

is  greatly  incommoded  by  Vespasian,  command- 
er of  the  Roman  forces  SOS 

endeavors  to  make  himself  master  of  Sephoris, 

but  in  vain  309 

is  deserted  by  his  troops,  and,  with  a  few  par- 
ticular friends,  retreats  to  Tiberias  3i0 

goes  from  thence  to  Jotapata,  where  he  defends 

himself  with  great  resolution  against  Vespasian  ib. 

is  at  length  overpowered,  makes  his  escape,  and 

conceals  himself  in  a  cave  317 

is  betrayed  by  a  woman,  and  after  some  en- 
treaties, resigns  himself  up  to  Vespasian  ib. 

his  address  to  him  on  the  occasion,  and  the  con- 

quences  arising  therefrom  ib. 

is  kindly  treated  by  Titus  320 

is  restored  to  liberty  by  Vespasian  326 

is  sent  by  Titus  to  expostulate  with  his  country- 
men in  Jerusalem  during  the  siege  of  that  city  332 
Joshua  goes  with  Moses  to  Mount  Sinai                        i.      225 

is  appointed  one  of  the  twelve  spies  sent  to  sur- 
vey the  land  of  Canaan  246 

gives  a  just  report,  and  is  true  to  his  allegations  247 

receives  the  Divine  approbation  for  his  fidelity  249 

.  succeeds    Moses    in    the    government    of   the 

Israelites  276 


INDEX  4^, 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Joshua  sends  two  spies  to  take  a  view  of  the  situa- 
tion and  strength  of  the  city  of  Jericho  i.       286 

gives  orders  for  the  army  to  decamp,  and  in  what 

manner  to  march  287 

appoints  twelve  men  to  erect  twelve  stones,  and 

for  what  288 

his  miraculous  passage  with  the  Israelites  over 

the  river  Jordan  ib. 

encamps  at  Gilgal  ib. 

renews  the  rite  of  circumcision  289 

goes  from  Gilgal  alone,  to  take  a  survey  of  the 

city  of  Jericho  ib. 

on  the  way  sees  a  person  clothed  in  armor,  with 

a  sword  in  his  hand  289 

boldly  advances  towards  him,  and  asks  of  what 

party  he  is  ib. 

perceives  him  to  be  an  angel,  and  falls  prostrate 

before  him  ib. 

is  ordered  to  loose  the  sandals  from  off  his  feet, 
and  then  instructed  how  to  carry  on  the  siege 
of  Jericho  290 

takes  and  sacks  it  accordingly  ib. 

puts  all  the  inhabitants  to  the  sword,  orders  the 
city  to  be  burnt,  and  pronounces  an  anathema 
against  any  person  who  shall  presume  to  re- 
build it  ib. 

is  defeated  at  Ai,  and  has  recourse  to  God  there- 
upon ib. 

is  informed  of  the  cause  of  his  ill  success  291 

causes  Achan  to  be  stoned,  and  all  his  family  292 

takes  and  sacks  Ai  by  stratagem  293 

reads  the  laws  of  Moses  to  the  people,  and  causes 
an  abridgement  of  them  to  be  engraven  on 
stone  294 

enters    too    unwarily  into   a  league  with  the 

Gibeonites  ib. 

vanquishes  five  confederate  princes  of  the  Canaan- 
ites,  kills  great  numbers,  and  puts  the  rest  to 
flight  296 

begs  of  God  that  the  sun  and  moon  may  stand 

still  till  he  has  completed  his  victory  ib. 

his  request  is  granted  ib. 

puts  the  five  confederate  princes  to  death,  and 
then  returns  with  his  army  to  the  camp  at 
Gilgal  297 


414  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Joshua  marches  against  the  confederate  king's  of 
North  Canaan,  whom  he  defeats,  and  puts  all 
to  the  sword,  except  some  few  that  made  their 
escape  into  other  countries  i.     297 

kills  Jabin,  who  had  been  the  head  of  the  confed- 
eracy against  him,  and  burns  his  city  to  the 
ground  ib. 

subdues  all  Canaan  by  degrees,  and  divides  the 
land  among  the  different  tribes,  by  lot  298 

gives  his  auxiliaries  (namely,  the  tribes  of 
Reuben  and  Gad,  with  the  half  tribe  of  Manas- 
seh)  an  honorable  dismission  299 

a  sad  misunderstanding  between  them  happily 

adjusted  300 

disbands  his  forces,  and  retires  to  Shechem  301 

his  death,  character,  and  burial  302 

Josiah  succeeds  his  father  Amnion  m  the  kingdojm 

of  Judah  ii.    242 

is  a  good  prince,  and  becomes  universally  beloved 

by  his  subjects  ib. 

makes  an  excursion  throughout  his  dominions, 

and  roots  out  idolatry  ib. 

returns  to  Jerusalem,  and  repairs  the  temple  243 

orders  the  Book  of  the  Lord,  which  had  been  ac- 
cidentally found  there,  to  be  read  distinctly  to 
the  people,  and  with  them  makes  a  covenant 
strictly  to  obey  the  contents  244. 

makes  a  farther  reformation  in  religion  2A6 

observes  the  celebration  of  the  Passover  with 
greater  solemnity  than  ever  it  had  been  before 
from  the  days  of  Samuel  ib. 

is  invaded  by  Pharaoh-Necho,  king  of  Egypt,  and 

marches  against  him  248 

receives  a  mortal  wound  in  battle,  is  carried  to 
Jerusalem,  and  dies,  universally  lamented  by 
the  people  ih. 

his  character  249 

Jotham,  the  youngest  son  of  Gideon,  happily  es- 
capes from  the  slaughter  of  Abimelech  i.      342 

goes  to  Mount  Gerezim,  and  delivers  a  parabolic 

speech  to  the  people  ib. 

the  parable  explained,  note  ib. 

flies  to  the  mountains,  and  conceals  himself  in  a 

place  called  Beer  till  the  death  of  Abimelech  344 

Jotham  succeeds  his  father  Uzziah  on  the  throne  of 

Judah  ii.     219 


INDEX.  I ; 

VOL.    TA<   r.. 

Jotham  i;?  a  good  and  pious  prince  ii.     21  !> 

defeats  the  Ammonites,  and  imposes  on  them  an 
annual  tribute  ih. 

dies  universally  lamented  by  his  subjects  220 

Isaac,  the  son  of  Abram  by  his  wife  Saraij  his  birth 

and  circumcision  i.         64 

is  ordered  to  be  sacrificed  6S 

reasons   why  Abraham   knew  the  order  came 

from  God,  nolc  ib. 

by  what  means  he  was  preserved  70 

his  marriage  with  Rebecca  77 

has  two  sous,  namely,  Esau  and  Jacob  79 

import  of  their  names  ib. 

difference  of  their  tempers  and  dispositions  ib. 

prophecy  concerning  them  explained,  note  ib. 

removes  to  Gerar,  where  he  makes  his  wife  pass 

for  his  sister  81 

is  discovered  by  Abimeleeh,  king  of  the  place, 

who  reproves  him  for  his  conduct  ib. 

his  apology  on  that  account  is  accepted,  and  an 

edict  made  in  his  favor  82 

is  ill-treated  by  the  Philistines,  on  which  account 

he  leaves  Gerar,  and  returns  to  Bcersheba  ib. 

is  visited  by  king  Abimeleeh,  with  whom  he  forms 

a  league  of  friendship  83 

blesses  Jacob  instead  of  Esau  87 

pacifies  Esau,  in  some  measure,  on  account  of 

the  blessing  being  gone  from  him  88 

at  the  request  of  his  wife  he  cousents  to  Jacob's 

going  into  Mesopotamia  90 

strictly  charges  him  not  to  marry  a  Canaanitish 
woman,  but  to  go  to  his  uncle  Laban's  in  Meso- 
potamia, and  provide  himself  with  a  wife  from 
his  family  ib. 

he  dies,  and  is  buried  in  the  same  sepulchre  with 

his  father  Abraham  112 

Isaiah  the  prophet,  the  son  of  Amos,  the  time 
when  he  lived,  and  the  contents  of  his 
prophecies  ii.      200 

his  message  from  God  to  Aliaz  king  of  Judah  220 

directs  Hezekiah,  king  of  Judah,  by  the  Divine 
command,  to  settle  his  affairs,  and  prepare  for 
death  230 

is  afterwards  sent  to  him  to  reprove  him  for  vain- 
ly shewing  the  Babylonish  ambassadors  the 
wealth  and  strength  of  his  kingdom  232 


446  INDEX. 

VOL.  PA6E. 

Isaiah  is  put  to  death  by  order  of  the  cruel  Manas- 

seh,  king  of  Judah  ii.     239 

the  manner  of  his  death,  note  ib. 

Ishbosheth,  the  only  remaining  son  of  Saul  after  his 
father's  death,  by  the  interest  of  Abner,  is  de- 
clared king  by  all  the  tribes,  except  that  of 
Judah  i.       449 

a  difference  takes  place  between  him  and  Abner, 

upon  which  the  latter  goes  over  to  David  451 

is  assassinated  by  two  of  his  principal  officers  456 

Ishmael,  the  son  of  Abram  by  Hagar,  his  birth  57 

is  dismissed  with  bis  mother  from  his  father's 

house  66 

settles  in  the  wilderness  of  Paran  ib. 

becomes  an  expert  archer,  and  provides  for  him- 
self and  his  mother  67 
marries  an  Egyptian  woman,  by  whom  he  has 

twelve  sons  ib. 

the   prophecy    concerning   his    descendants    ex- 
plained, note  55 
Ishmael,  the  son  of  Nethaniah,  in  confederacy  with 
Baal  is,  king  of  the  Ammonites,  murders  Gcd- 
aliah,   the   governor  of   Judea,    with   many 
others                                                                         ii.     287 
he  flies  fromMizpah,  and  is  pursued,  but  luckily 
makes  his  escape  into  the  land  of  the  Am- 
monites                                                                              288 
Israelites,  are  greatly  oppressed,  and  cruelly  treated, 

by  Pharaoh,  king  of  Egypt  i.        166 

borrow  many  valuable  articles  of  the  Egyptians  199 

their  departure  from  Egypt  ib. 

are  pursued  by  the  Egyptians  201 

pass  the  Red  Sea,  in  which  Pharaoh  and  his  host 

are  drowned  203 

they  murmur  for  want  of  Avater  217 

the  waters  of  Marah  made  sweet  for  them,  and 

by  what  means  ib. 

they  murmur  for  want  of  provision  218 

are  fed  with  manna  and  quails  ib. 

again  murmur  for  want  of  water  219 

are  miraculously  supplied  220 

defeat  the  Amalekites  221 

encamp  in  the  wilderness  of  Mount  Sinai,  where 

they  receive  the  ten  commandments  222 

worship  a  golden  calf  226 

are  severely  punished  for  their  wickedness  227 


INDEX.  117 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Israelites,   the  manner  of  their  encamping  and 

marching  fixed  by  Moses  i.       239 

the  number  in  each  tribe  ascertained,  note  ib. 

plan  of  their  camp  JWt 

are  ordered  to  decamp  from  the  wilderness  of 

Sinai  2i2 

the  loiterers  among  them  arc  destroyed  by  fire  ib. 

murmur  for  want  of  flesh,  with  which  they  are 
supplied,  but,  for  their  iusolcr.ee,  are  pun- 
ished with  a  severe  plague,  and  great  numbers 
carried  off*  ib. 

indiscretely  engage  the  Amalekites,  by  whom 

they  are  defeated,  and  great  numbers  slain  219 

rebel  against  Moses  and  Aaron,  for  which  they 

are  punished  with  a  severe  plague  250 

arrive  at  Kadesh,  where  they  again  murmur  for 

want  of  water  253 

are  miraculously  supplied  256 

are  defeated  by  Arad,  one  of  the  kings  of  the 
Canaanites,  but  on  a  second  engagement,  ob- 
tain a  complete  conquest  258 

murmur  and  repine  again  on  account  of  their 

food  and  want  of  water  259 

are  punished  with  swarms  of  fiery  serpents,  from 
the  stings  of  which  great  numbers  are  carried 
off  ib. 

they  receive  relief  during  this  calamity  by  look- 
ing at  a  brazen  serpent  made  by  Moses,  and 
placed  on  an  high  pole  ib. 

the  reason  of  this  accounted  for,  note  ib. 

overcome  Sihon  and  Og,  two  kings  of  the  Amo- 
rites,  and  seize  on  their  country  260 

march  to  the  plains  of  Moab,  and  encamp  on  the 

banks  of  the  river  Jordan  261 

commit  whoredom  and  idolatry  with  strange 
women,  for  which  1000  are  hanged,  and  no 
less  than  24,000  are  destroyed  by  a  plague  26S 

obtain  a  conquest  over  the  Moabites  and  Midian- 

ites  270 

their  miraculous  passage  over  the  river  Jordan  288 

the  land  of  Canaan  divided  among  the  different 

tribes  by  Joshua  29S 

keep  company  with  the  Canaanites,  for  which 
they  are  severely  chastised  by  a  divine  mes- 
senger 306 


4*8  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE» 

Israelites,  notwithstanding  this  they  continue  in 
their  wickedness,  give  themselves  up  to  all 
kinds  of  dissipation,  and  become  rank  idolaters     i.       307 

are  oppressed  by  Chushan-rishathaim,  king  of 
Mesopotamia,  who  laid  them  under  tribute  for 
eight  years,  at  the  expiration  of  which  they 
are  relieved  by  Othniel,  the  first  person  whom 
the  scriptures  call  Judge  ib. 

are  again  oppressed  by  Eglon  king  of  the  Moab- 

ites  317 

by  Jabin,  king  of  Hazar  320 

are  affiieted  with  a  dreadful  famine  325 

are  oppressed  by  the  Midianites  and  Amalekites  332 

by  the  Philistines  and  Ammonites  349 

are  delivered  by  Jephtha,  who  completely  van- 
quishes the  latter  350 

wage  war  with  the  Philistines,  are  defeated,  and 

lose  their  ark  377 

upon  Samuel's  sacrifice  and  intercession  with 
God,  they  defeat  the  Philistines 

desire  to  have  a  king,  and  why 
Ittai,  the  Gittite,  his  remarkable  fidelity  to  David 
Itursea,  country  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note 
Judah,  account  of  his  connection  with  Tamar 

and  the  remarkable  births  of  the  twins  he  had 

by  her  (  121 

his   promise   to   his   father  to  bring  back  his 

brother  Benjamin  safe  from  Egypt  13* 

his  pathetic  address  to  Joseph  in  behalf  of  his 

brother  Benjamin  139 

Judah,  tribe  of,  join  that  of  Simeon  to  prosecute 
the  war  against  the  Canaanites  after  the  death 
of  Joshua  303 

are  successful  in  their  enterprizes  304 

Judas  Maecabreus,  on  the  death  of  his  father 
Mattathias,  takes  the  command  of  the  Israel- 
itisli  forces  ii.     490 

defeats  Apollonius,  their  general,  in  single  com- 
bat, and  slays  him  491 

engages  the  Syrian  army,  and  defeats  them  ib. 

overcomes  Antiochus's  armies  in  several  engage- 
ments 494 

makes  himself  master  of  Jerusalem  495 

purifies  the  temple  which  had  been  horribly  pro- 
faned by  the  cruel  Antiochus  *96 

blocks  up  the  fort  of  Acra  ib. 


383 

384 

497 

iii. 

49 

i. 

119 

L\DEX, 

Vol.  page. 
Judas    engages  tlie  Idumreans,  and  defeats  tlicm 

with  very  considerable  loss  ii.     500 

as  also  the  Ammonites,  and  other  neighboring 

nations  ib. 

is  remarkably  successful  in  Gilead  503 

makes  a  peace  with  Antiochus  Eupater,  and  the 

effects  thereof  505 

burns  Joppa,  and  on  what  account  ib. 

defeats  Timotheus,  and  lakes  him  prisoner,  but 

releases  him  on  certain  conditions  506 

reduces  the  principal  places  in  the  land  of  the 
Philistines,  and  then  returns  with  great  spoils 
to  Jerusalem  ib. 

besieges  the  fortress  of  Aera,  and  foils  Antiochus's 

army  507 

makes   a  peace   with   Antiochus   on  honorable 

terms  509 

gains  a  total  victory  over  the  Syrian  army  com- 
manded by  Nicanor,  and  returns  in  triumph  to 
Jerusalem  iii.     11 

makes  a  league  with  the  Romans  12 

engages  the  Syrian  army  under  Baechides,  but  is 

defeated  and  slain  1 1. 

is  honorably  interred  in  the  sepulchre  of  his  an- 
cestors at  Modin  ib. 
Jude,  St.  why  called  Thaddreus,  or  Labbseus                iv.    235 

preaches  the  gospel  in  various  parts,  and  dies  236 

his  Epistle,  and  its  contents  ib. 

Judas  Iscariot  repines  at  Mary's  washing  our  Lord's 

feet  with  spikenard  iii.  475 

agrees  with  the  Sanhedrim  to  betray  his  master       iv.       S 

ful (lis  his  agreement,  and  the  manner  how  30 

repents  of  the  wicked  deed,  returns  the  reward  of 
his  treason,  and  declares  he  has  betrayed  inno- 
cent blood  39 

hangs  himself  in  a  fit  of  despair  ib, 

Judith,  a  widow  lady  of  Bethulia,  cuts  off  the  head 
of  Holofernes,  the  chief  general  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, and  thereby  saves  her  country  from  im- 
pending destruction  ii.     271 

is  received  at  Jerusalem  with  the  most  inexpress- 
ble  satisfaction  by  the  people,  where  a  feast  is 
held  on  the  occasion  for  three  successive 
months  273 

vol.  iv.  5  T> 


i. 

255 

323 

77 

244 

ii. 

65 

i. 

322 

■iso  INDEX. 

VOL.   PAGE, 

Judith,  whether  the  history  contained  in  the  book 
called  after  her  name  was  transacted  before  or 
after  the  Babylonish  captivity,  note  ii.     264 

K 

Kadesh,  its  situation,  &c.  note 

Kenites,  who  and  what  they  were,  note 

Keturah  marries  Abraham  after  the  death  of  his 

wife  Sarah 
Kibroth-Hattaavah,  import  of  the  term 
Kidron,  the  brook  of  described 
Kishon,  river  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note 
Koran's  rebellion,  and  the  destruction  that  attended 

both  him  and  his  adherents  250 


Lnban  deceives  Jacob  by  giving  him  his  daughter 
Leah,  instead  of  Rachel,  the  latter  of  whom  he 
had  purchased  by  seven  years  servitude  i.       93 

gives    him    Rachel   likewise,    on    condition   of 

another  seven  years  servitude  94 

agrees,  in  order  to  detain  Jacob  longer  in  his 

service,  to  give  him  all  the  spotted  cattle  97 

expostulates  with  him  for  leaving  him  Avithout 

his  knowledge  or  consent  99 

enters  into  an  alliance  with  him  100 

Laborosoarehad  succeeds  his  father  Neriglissar  in 

the  kingdom  of  Babylon  ii.     305 

is  detested  by  his  subjects,  and  slain  ib. 

two  memorable  instances  of  his  cruelty,  note  ib. 

Laws  of  Moses  i.     223 

those  respecting  Divine  worship  in  the  taberna- 
cle 233 
the   great   dhTerence   between   the  Law  under 
Moses  and  the  Gospel  under  Christ  and  his 
apostles                                                                         iii.   309 
Lazarus,  after  being  dead,  and  buried  four  days,  is 

restored  to  life  by  our  Blessed  Saviour  469 

Leah  is  married  to  Jacob  i.        93 

has  four  children  by  him  94 

parts  with  her  son's  mandrakes,  and  for  what 

consideration  96 

Lesbos,    isle   of,   where   situated,   and  for    what 

famous,  note  iv.    178 


INDEX.  m 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Libnah,  its  situation,  kc.  note  ii.    235 

Lice,  plague  of  in  Egypt  i.     186 

Locusts,  plaque  of  in  Egypt  192 

account  of  those  in  England  in  Uie  year  1748  iyi 

Lot,  the  son  of  Harari,  travels  with  his  uncle  Abram 
into  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  from  thence  to 
Egypt  45 

on  his  return  he  and  his  uncle  part  48 

takes  up  his  residence  in  the  plains  near  Sodom 

and  Gomorrah  ib. 

entertains  two  angels  at  Sodom  60 

his  wife  is  turned  into  a  pillar  of  salt,  and  for 

what  reason  62 

Luke   the   Evangelist,    preaches    the    Gospel   in 
various  parts  of  Egypt  and  Greece,  in  the  lat- 
ter of  which  he  suffers  martyrdom  iv.    239 
Lysias  rescues  Paul  from  the  hands  of  the  Jews  180 
sends  him,  under  a  strong  guard,  to  Felix,  and 

writes  a  letter  to  him  in  his  behalf  183 

M 

Macedonia,  a  province  of  Greece,  description  of 

note  151 

Magicians,  Egyptian,  wbo  they  were,  note  i.     182 

what  miracles  they  could  perform,  and  what  not  ib. 

Mahanaim,  import  of  the  term,  note  101 

its  situation,  &c.  ii.     449 

Malachi  the  prophet,  at  what  time  lie  lived  429 

is  sent  to  reprove  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem,  and  for 

what  ib. 

Mamre,  plain  of,  its  situation,  &c.  i.       48 

Manasseh   succeeds   his  father    Hezekiah    in   the 

kingdom  of  Judah  ii.     238 

is  taken  prisoner  byEsarhaddon,  king  of  Assyria, 

and  carried  to  Babylon  240 

repents  of  his  wickedness,  and  is  restored  to  his 

crown  and  kingdom  ib. 

his  death  241 

Mandrakes,  various  opinions  concerning  them,  par- 
ticularly those  presented  by  Reuben  to  his 
mother  Leah,  note  i»        95 

Manna  falls   from  Heaven  for  the  relief  of  the 

Israelites  218 

God's  directions  concerning  the  use  of  it  ib; 

Marriage  Contract,  method  of  settling  it  in  the 

East,  note  75 


*52  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGF. . 

Mariamnc  is  married  to  Herod  the  Great  iii.    97 

incurs  Wis  displeasure  119 

conceives  such  a  strong  aversion  to  him,  that  she 

refuses  his  embraces  with  contempt,  and  Avhy  133 

is  accused  by  him,  before  a  council  of  his 
friends,  of  a  conspiracy  against  his  life,  and  is 
by  them  condemned  134 

is  ordered  to  be  put  to  death,  and  at  whose  insti- 
gation ib. 
Mark,  the  Evangelist,  propagates  the   Gospel  in 

Egypt,  and  plants  a  church  in  Alexandria  iv.  238 

is  cruelly  murdered  by  the  idolatrous  inhabit- 
ants of  that  city  ib. 
Mary,  the  mother  of  our  Blessed  Lord,  her  lineal 

descent  and  espousal  to  Joseph  iii.  323 

is  congratulated  by  an  angel,  and  on  what  account  ib. 

visits  her  cousin  Elizabeth  324 

conceals  the  mystery  of  her  being  with  child 

from  her  espoused  husband  325 

lier  pregnancy,  however,  is  soon  discovered  by 

him,  and  his  conduct  thereupon  ib. 

is  delivered  of  her  first-born  son  326 

is  recommended  by  our  Blessed  Saviour,  just  be- 
fore his  death,  to  the  care  and  protection  of  St. 
John,  with  whom  she  continues  during  the  re- 
mainder of  her  life  iv.  57 
Mary,  the  sister  of  Lazarus,  to  testify  her  venera- 
ation  for  our  Blessed  Lord,  pours  a  quantity 
of  the  richest  ointments  on  his  feet,  which  she 
anoints,  and  then  wipes  with  her  hair  iii.  475 
Mattathias  opposes » he  tyrannical  proceedings  of  An- 

tioehus  Epiphanes  ii.    487 

his  warm  answer  to  Apelles,  who  was  commis- 
sioned from  the  king  to  treat  with  the  Jews, 
and  his  uncommon  zeal  and  courage  in  slaying 
an  apostate  Jew,  the  commissioner  himself, 
and  all  his  retinue  48S 

overturns  all  the  altars,  and  pulls  down  the  idols 

he  had  erected  ib. 

makes  a  decree,  that,  whenever  the  Jews  should 
be  attacked  on  the  sabbath-day,  it  should  be 
lawful  for  them  to  defend  themselves  as  well 
as  they  could  489 

destroys  all  idolatrous  worship  in  the  cities  of 
Judah,  and  re-establishes  the  worship  of  the 
true  God  ib. 


ini>i;\ 

VOL.    PACK. 

M&ttathias  makes  a  speech  to  his  sons,  and  dies  in  a 

good  old  age  ii.     4S9 

is  buried  at  Modin,  in  the  sepulchre  of  his  father  498 

Matthew,  the  apostle  and  evangelist,  propagates 

the  gospel  in  Jndea  iv.    230 

Buffers  martyrdom  at  Xadabar  ib. 

Matthias  is  chosen  into  '.lie  apostleship  instead  of 

the  perfidious  Judas  237 

preaches  the  Gospel  in  Judea,  and  removes  from 
thence  into  Ethiopia,  where  he  suffers  mar- 
tyrdom ib. 
Meat  and  Drink  Offerings,  of  what  they  consisted, 

note  i.        55 

Mclchisedck,   king  and  priest  of  Salem,  blesses 

Abrara  51 

Melita,  island  of,  origin  of  its  name,  note  iv.   194 

it-  extent,  situation,  ecc.  ib. 

its  present  name,  and  for  what  remarkable  ib. 

Menahem  defeats  and  slays  Shall  um,  who  had 
usurped  the  government  of  the  Israelites,  and 
is  chosen  king  in  his  stead  ii.     205 

his  cruelty  to  the  inhabitants  of  'Tiphsah  ib. 

is  invaded  by  Pul,  king  of  Assyria  ib. 

his  death  ib. 

Menalaus  supplants  his  brother  Jason,  and  pur- 
chases the  high-priesthood  of  Antiochus  Epi- 
phanes  465 

is  very  officious  against  his  own  people  5i0 

the  consequences  arising  therefrom  ib. 

Mcphihosheth,  the  son  of  Jonathan,  is  kindly  treat- 
ed by  David  after  the  death  of  his  father  i.     465 
is  treated  perfidiously  by  Ziba,  his  steward  500 
David's  grant  to  him,  and  what                                    ii.      10 
Meribah,  rock  of,  described  by  Dr.  Shaw,  note             i.     2-20 
Merom,  waters  of.  their  siluatiou,  &e.  note                          297 
Mesha,  king  of  Moab,  is  defeated  by  the  united 

forces  of  Jehoram  and  Jehoshaphat  ii.    152 

in  a  fit  of  desperation  sacrifices  his  own  son  on 

the  walls  of  Kirhareseth  ib. 

Mieah,  of  Mount  Ephraim,  his  remarkable  idolatry     i.     308 
Michal,  second  daughter  of  Saul,  is   married  to 

David  411 

contrives  his  escape  from  her  father's  resentment  414 

upbraids  him  for  dancing  before  the  ark  461 

Midianites  and  Moabites,  allure  the  Israelites  to 

commit  whoredom  and  idolatry  268 


)L. 

PAGE. 

i. 

270 

iv. 

174 

i. 

244 

ib. 

255 

iv. 

273 

ii. 

286 

454  INDEX. 

Midianites  and  Moabites,  their  defeat  and  slaughter 
Miletus,  where  situated,  and  for  what  famous,  note 
Miriam,  sister  to  Moses,  falls  out  with  him,  and 
on  what  account 

is  afflicted  with  a  leprosy 

her  death 
Mitylene,  description  of,  note 
Mizpah,  its  situation,  &c.  note 
Mordecai  a  Jew,  and  relation  to  queen  Esther,  dis- 
covers a  conspiracy  against  king  Ahasuerus  338 

incurs  the  displeasure   of  Hainan,    the   king's 

prime-minister,  and  on  what  account  ib. 

is  deeply  concerned  for  the  intended  massacre  of 
his  countrymen,  and  prevails  on  queen  Esther 
to  intercede  with  the  king  in  their  favor  341 

is  highly  honored  for  discovering  the  conspiracy 

before  mentioned  344 

Moreh,  plain  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  i.        45 

Moriali,  mount  of,  note  69 

Moses,  his  birth  168 

is  miraculously  preserved  at  the  instigation  of 

the  daughter  of  Pharaoh,  king  of  Egypt  169 

is  brought  up  in  Pharaoh's  court  170 

import  of  his  name,  note  ib. 

leaves  the  Egyptian  court  to  live  with  his  perse- 
cuted brethren  ib. 

slays  an  Egyptian,  and  buries  his  body  in  the 

sand  171 

retires  to  Midian,  and  lives  with  Jethro,  the  prin- 
cipal man  of  the  country  ib. 

becomes  his  shepherd,  and  marries  his  daughter 

Zipporah,  by  whom  lie  has  two  sons  172 

follows  his  father-in-law's  flock  as  far  as  Horeb, 
where  he  sees  a  bush  all  on  fire  without  being 
damaged  173 

approaches  the  hush,  but  is  stopped  by  an  uncom- 
mon voice,  and  ordered  to  take  off  his  shoes  174 

falls  prostrate  on  the  ground,  and  covers  his  face, 

and  why  ib. 

is  appointed  to  undertake  the  deliverance  of  the 

Israelites  ib. 

leaves  Midian,  and  proceeds  on  his  journey  to- 
wards Egypt,  with  his  wife  and  family  177 

is  met  by  his  brother  Aaron  near  Mount  Horeb, 

to  whom  he  opens  his  commission  178 


INDEX.  400 

VOL.    TAGE. 

Moses  arrives  in  Egypt,  and  immediately  calls  an 

assembly  of  the  chief, of  the  Israelites  i.    178 

performs  several  miracles  in  their  presence  ib. 

both  he  and  Aaron  go  to  court,  and  apply  to 
Pharaoh  Tor  the  dismission  of  the  Israelites, 
but  are  refused  ib. 

is  uneasy  at  their  murmuring,  for  being  obliged 

to  make  bricks  without  straw  180 

receives  fresh  assurances  of  the  Divine  protec- 
tion ib. 

is  ordered  to  apply  again  to  Pharaoh,  and  in- 
structed in  what  manner  to  act  1SI 

perforins  a  miracle  before  Pharaoh  ib. 

changes  the  waters  of  Egypt  into  blood  18i* 

brings  various  plagues  on  the  laud  of  Egypt,  &c.  ib. 

conducts  the  Israelites  out  of  Egypt  199 

is  pursued  by  Pharaoh  with  a  considerable  army  201 

his  speech  to  the  Israelites  on  the  occasion  ib. 

conducts  them  safe  through  the  Red  Sea,  where 
the  Egyptians  are  all  lost  203 

composes  an  hymn  on  the  occasion  204 

sweetens  the  waters  of  Marah  for  them  217 

miraculously  supplies   them  again   with  water 

from  a  rock  220 

conducts  the  people  to  Mount  Sinai  223 

receives   the  ten  commandments  from  God  on 

Mount  Sinai  225 

as  also  instructions  concerning  the  tabernacle  ib. 

takes  the  two  tables  of  stone,  on  which  were 
written  the  laws,  and  hastens  down  from  the 
mount  227 

breaks  them  in  pieces,  destroys  the  golden  calf 
which  Aaron  had  erected  during  his  absence, 
and  takes  vengeance  on  the  idolaters  ib. 

intercedes  for  the  people,  and  receives  from  God 

fresh  tables  of  the  law  229 

continues  on  the  mount  forty  days  and  forty  nights 

without  either  eating  or  drinking  230 

gives  directions  for  building  of  the  tabernacle  ib. 

description  of  the  tabernacle  and  its  contents  ib. 

constitutes  his  brother  Aaron  high-priest  236 

regulates  the  method  of  the  Israelites  marching 

from  one  place  to  another  241 

appoints  seventy  elders  to  assist  him  in  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  people  2+3 

sends  spies  to  take  a  view  of  the  land  of  Canaan  246 


456  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Moses  relieves  the  people's  thirst,  by  occasioning 

water  to  issue  out  of  a  rock  i.  256 
incurs  the  Divine  displeasure,  and  on  what  ac- 
count ib. 
orders  a  brass  serpent  to  be  made  and  placed  up- 
on a  pole  259 
its  uses  ib. 
engages  the    Amorites,  whom    he  defeats  and 

puts  to  the  sword  261 

his  last  speeches  to  the  people  27* 

his  death  277 

epitaph  written  on  him  by  Joshua  paraphrased  278 

his  character  by  different  writers  280 

comparison  between  him  and  our  Saviour  283 
his  prophecy  concerning  a  future  prophet  like 

unto  himself  iii.  183 

Murrain,  plague  of,  in  Egypt  i.     188 

Mysia,  a  province  of  Asia  Minor,  note  iv.  150 

N 

Naaman,  the  Syrian  general,  is  cured  of  an  invete- 
rate leprosy  by  the  prophet  Elisha,  and  in  con- 
sequence thereof  becomes  a  convert  to  the 
worship  of  the  true  God  ii.    157 

Nabal,  his  ill  behavior  to  David  j.     431 

the  consequence  arising  therefrom  ib. 

Kaboth  refuses  to  sell  his  vineyard,  and  why  ii.  127 

for  which,  by  the  contrivance  of  queen  Jezebel, 
he  is  carried  out  of  the  city,  and  stoned  to 
death  ib. 

Nadab  and  Abihu,  Aaron's  two  sons,  are  struck 

dead  with  lightning,  and  for  what  i.     237 

Nadab  succeeds  his  father  Jeroboam  in  the  king- 
dom of  Israel  ii.   109 
is  treacherously  killed  by  Baasha,  his  captain- 
general  ib- 

Nahash,  king  of  the  Ammonites,  lays  such  close 
siege  to  Jabesh-Gilead,  that  the  inhabitants 
offer  to  capitulate,  which  he  agrees  to,  but  on 
no  other  terms  than  the  loss  of  their  right 
eyes  i.     391 

Nathan  the  prophet,  by  the  Divine  command,  lays 
an  injunction  on  David  not  to  build  a  temple  at 
Jerusalem  462 


11. 

252 

111. 

;'» 22 

IV. 

151 

INDEX.  4:,7 

VOL.     l'ACE. 

Nathan  delivers  a  parable  to  David,  and   on  what 

aeeount  i.      476* 

Nahum   tlie  prophet,  the  time  in  which  he  lived, 

and  the  nature  of  his  prophecies, note 
Nazareth,  city  of,  its  situation,  &c. 
Ne.jpolis  a  sea-port,  its  situation,  eve.  note 
Nebuchadnezzar,  king  of  Babylon,  defeats  the  army 

of  Pharaoh  Neeho,  king  of  Egypt  ii.     252 

besieges  Jerusalem,  takes  it,  plunders  the  temple, 
and  carries  away  Jehoiakim  prisoner  to  Baby- 
lon, but  afterwards  restores  him  under  certain 
restrictions  253 

sends  his  lieutenants  against  him  in  consequence 
of  his  having  rebelled,  who  in  a  sally,  slay  him 
before  the  walls  of  Jerusalem  256 

he  afterwards  takes  Jehoiachin  his  son,  and  puts 
him  in  prison  at  Babylon,  where  he  keeps  him 
during  the  remainder  of  his  life  257 

defeats  Arphaxad,  king  of  Media,  and  in  his  stead 

places  Zedekiah  on  the  throne  of  Judah  26-i 

again  lays  siege  to  Jerusalem,  and  on  what  ac- 
count 276 

takes  it  by  storm  279 

causes  Zedekiah's  sons,  and  the  princes  of  Judah, 

to  be  slain  before  his  face  ib. 

orders  Zedekiah's  eyes  to  be  put  out,  and  then 

sends  him  prisoner  to  Babylon  ib. 

makes  Gedaliah  governor  of  the  people,  and 
shews  a  particular  regard  for  Jeremiah  the 
prophet  230 

has  a  dream  which  greatly  disturbs  him  29-i 

its  interpretation  by  Daniel  the  prophet  296 

orders  Daniel's  three  friends  to  be  thrown  into 

a  fiery  furnace,  and  on  what  account  299 

is  surprized  to  see  with  them  a  fourth  person  ib. 

on  their  miraculous  escape,  he  glorifies  God,  pub- 
lishes an  edict  in  favor  of  the  Jewish  religion, 
and  promotes  Daniel's  friends  to  great  honors  300 

reduces  the  kingdom  of  Egypt  ib. 

returns  to  Babylon,  and  has  another  dream  which 

greatly  perplexes  hiin  301 

its  interpretation  by  Daniel  ib. 

is  punished  for  his  pride,  and  reduced  to  the  con- 
dition of  a  beast ;  but  after  seven  years  is  re- 
stored to  his  reason  and  dignity  303 

vol.  iv.        3   M 


438  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Nebuchadnezzar  dies  soon  after  his  restoration, 

and  is  succeeded  by  his  son  Evil-Merodach  ii.     303 

Nehemiah  succeeds  Ezra  in  the  government  of 

Judah  4-13 

is  made  cup-bearer  to  Ahasuerus,  king  of  Persia  ib. 

is  sent  by  him  with  a  full  commission  to  repair 

the  walls  of  Jerusalem,  and  fortify  the  city  415 

carries  on  the  work  with  great  success,  notwith- 
standing all  the  endeavors  of  Sauballat  to  in- 
terrupt him  417 
his  suppression  of  usury,  and  generous  manner 

of  living  418 

his  wise  orders  for  the  preservation  of  the  city  421 

returns  to  the  court  at  Shushan  424 

goes  again  to  Jerusalem,  and  prevents  Tobiah 
the  Ammonite  from  having  an  apartment  in 
the  temple  ib* 

orders  the  re-payment  of  tythes  425 

and  a  more  strict  observance  of  the  sabbath  426 

his  dissolution  of  unlawful  marriages  among  the 

Jews  427 

Neriglissar  succeeds  Evil-Merodach  in  the  king- 
dom of  Babylon  304 
is  slain  in  battle  by  Cyrus  the  Persian  ib. 
Nero,  emperor  of  Home,  puts  Peter  and  Paul  in 

prison,  and  for  what  iv.    207 

raises  the  first  general  persecution  against  the 

Christians  ib. 

orders  the  city  of  Rome  to  be  set  on  fire,  and 
during  the  conflagration  plays  upon  his  harp 
on  the  tower  of  Maecenas,  note  ib. 

Nicanor  is  sent  by  Demetrius,  king  of  Syria,  as 

general  of  his  army,  against  the  Jews  iii.        9 

enters  into  articles  of  peace  with  Judas  Macca- 
beus ib. 
breaks  them,  is  defeated  by  him,  and  slain,  and  his 
head  cut  off  and  placed  on  one  of  the  towers  of 
Jerusalem  10 
Nicadeuius,  his  discourse  with  our  Blessed  Saviour 

concerning  regeneration 
Nile,  a  river  in  Egypt,  description  of,  note 
Nimrod  dispossesses  Arthur,  the  son  of  Shem,  of 
his  property,  reigns  in  Babylon,  and  makes  it 
the  capital  of  his  empire 
Nineveh,  city  of,  described,  note 

prophecies  concerning 
Koah,  his  birth 


345 

i. 

127 

41 

38 

iii. 

223 

i. 

24 

INDEX.  w 

VOL.     PACK, 

Noah  rebukes  the  people  where  he  lives  for  their 

v  ickedness  i.         26 

is  ordered  to  build  an  ark,  or  large  vessel,  of 

gopher-wood,  and  on  what  account  27 

enters  it  with  his  family  28 

the  length  of  time  he  continues  in  the  ark  30 

on  leaving  it  he  erects  an  altar,  and  offers  sacri- 
fices thereon  31 
plants  a  vineyard,  and  invents  a  machine  for  ex- 
tracting the  juice  from  the  grape  32 
becomes  intoxicated,  and  exposes  his  nakedness 

to  his  children  ib. 

denounces  a  curse  against  the  descendants  of  his 

sort  Ham,  for  his  ill  behavior  to  him  33 

bis  death  34 

bis  prophecy  relative  to  the  descendants  of  bis 

three  sons  iii.    155 

O 

Oaths,  method  of  taking  them  among  the  Hebrews, 

note  i.        72 

Obadiah,  the  prophet,  when  he  lived,  and  the  con- 
tents of  his  prophecies  ii.      200 
Ocbus  succeeds  bis  father  Arsaces  on  the  throne  of 

Persia  441 

is  poisoned  by  his  favorite  eunuch,  named  Bagoas  442 

Octavianus,  his  breach  of  friendship  with  Antony,      iii.     120 
the  cause  thereof  ib. 

defeats  Antony  at  Actium  126 

is  pleased  with  Herod's  intrepidity  130 

Oded,  the  prophet,  remonstrates  with  Pekab  king 
of  Israel,  in  behalf  of  the  captives  he  had  made 
after  defeating  Ahaz  king  of  Judah  ii.      222 

inconsequence  thereof  they  are  released,  and  sent 

home  to  their  respective  habitations  223 

Og,  king  of  the  Ammonites,  bis  gigantic  size,  &c. 

note 
Omri  succeeds  Zimri  in  the  kingdom  of  Israel 
establishes  idolatry,  and  builds  a  temple  at  Sa- 
maria 
On,  a  famous  city  in  Egypt,  its  situation,  ccc.  note 
Opbrah,  its  situation,  &c.  note 
Othniel,  his  gallant  actions 
conquers  Chushanrishathaim,  king  of  Mesopo- 
tamia      N 
is  the  first  person  whom  the  Scriptures  call  Judge 


]. 

261 

ii. 

110 

ib. 

i. 

129 

333 

305 

307 

ith 

460 


INDEX. 


Pathos,  city  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note 
Passover,  its  first  instit'ition 

its  renewal  by  Josiah,  king  of  Judali 
Patara,  town  of,  described,  note 
Patrca.  a  city  of  Achaia,  its  situation,  &c.  note 
Paul,  otherwise  called  Saul,  his  violence  against  the 

Christians 
his  miraculous  conversion 
pieaches  the  gospel  in  various  parts,  accompanied 

by  Barnabas 
strikes  Bar-jceus,  a  Jewish  sorcerer,  blind,  and 

for  what 
changes  his  name  from  Saul  to  Paul 
goes  to  Lystra,  where  the  multitude  look  upon. 

him  as  more  than  man 
is  stoned,  but  recovers,  and  goes  to  Jerusalem 
reproves  St.  Peter,  and  for  what 
parts  with  Barnabas 
goes  to  Crete,  and  constitutes  Titus  bishop  of  the 

island 
is  put  in  prison  at  Philippi,  but  honorably  dis- 
missed 
goes  to  Thessalonica,  and  from  thence  to  Athens, 

in  both  of  which  places  he  is  ill  treated  by  the 

multitude 
makes  many  converts  at  Corinth,  from  whence 

he  writes  two  epistles  to  the  Thessalonians 
has  the  like  success  at  Ephesus,  from  whence  he 

writes  his  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  and 

another  to  tlie  Galatians 
constitutes  Timothy  bishop  of  Ephesus 
goes  to  Macedonia,  from   whence  he  writes  his 

second  epistle  to  the  Corinthians 
returns  to  Corinth,  and  there  writes  his  famous 

epistle  to  the  Rrntans 
performs  a  miracle  at  Troas 
goes  to  Jerusalem,  and  is  siezed  by  the  populace, 

but  rescued  by  Lysias  the  Roman  commander 
is  taken  before  Felix,  whom  he  terrifies  with  his 

discourse 
is  accused  before  Festus 
his  defence 
is  sent  to  Rome  by  sea,  and  shipwrecked  in  bis 

passage 


OL.  PAGE. 

iv. 

135 

i. 

19S 

ii. 

246 

iv. 

176 

219 

118 

123 

131 

136 
ib. 

140 

143 

148 

ib. 

149 

152 

154 

159 


161 
170 

ib. 

171 

172 

177 

186 

188 
190 

192 


INDEX.  101 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Paul  is  east  on  the  island  of  Mclfta,  where  he  aston- 
ishes the  people  by  performing  many  miracles      iv.    194 

is  conducted  lo  Home,  from  whence  he  writes  his 
epistles  to  the  Philippians,  Ephesians  and  Co- 
lossians  196 

is  set  at  liberty,  and  writes  his  epistle  to   the 

Hebrews  203 

prosecutes  his  journey  from  Rome  into  Spain, 
and  from  thence  goes  over  to  Britain,  and 
preaches  the  gospel  in  that  island  ib. 

returns  to  Rome,  and  is  cast  into  prison  by  the 

emperor  Nero  205 

makes  his  escape,  and  goes  to  Ephesus,  where  he 
excommunicates  Hymeneus  and  Alexander, 
and  for  what  208 

goes  from  Ephesus  to  Philippi,  from  whence  he 

writes  his  first  epistle  to  Timothy  ib. 

his  epistle  to  Titus  at  Crete  209 

visits    many   other  places,  and  then  returns  to 

Rome,  where  he  meets  with  Peter  ib. 

is  with  him,  committed  to  prison,  from  whence 

he  writes  his  second  epistle  to  Timothy  210 

suffers  martyrdom  211 

his  character  215 

Pekah,  general  of  the  Israelitish  forces,  murders  his 

master  Pekaiah,  and  usurps  the  crown  ii.      206 

is  greatly  harrassed  by  Tiglath-pileser,  king  of 
Assyria,  and  at  length  slain  by  Hosea  the  son 
of  Elah  ib. 

Pekaiah  succeeds  his  father  Menahem  in  the  gov- 
ernment of  Israel  205 

is  murdered  by  Pekah  his  general  206 

Peter  becomes  one  of  our  Lord's  disciples  iii.     354 

his  boasted  profession  to  be  ready  to  go  with  him 

to  prison,  and  to  death  iv.       1* 

cuts  off  the  ear  of  Malchus,  one  of  the  high- 
priest's  servants  31 

denies  his  master  thrice  36 

is  stung  with  remorse,  and  weeps  bitterly  37 

cures  a  cripple  104 

punishes  Ananias  and  his  wife  Sapphira,  and  for 

what  109 

heals  the  deceased  by  his  shadow  only  passing 

over  them  ib. 

is  committed  to  prison,  but  released  therefrom  by 
an  angel  110 


*69  INDEX. 

VOL.  PAGE. 

Peter  makes  a  general  visitation  to  all  the  reform- 
ed places  in  Judea,  Galilee  and  Samaria  iv.    125 
raises  a  dead  woman  to  life  at  Joppa  126 
his  conversion  of  Cornelius,  a  Roman  captain                 12f 
his  speech  to  the  people  on  that  occasion  ib. 
is  thrown  into  prison  by  Herod  Agrippa,  but  has 
his  chains  taken  off  by  an  angel,  and  miracu- 
lously makes  his  escape                                                   133 
is  guilty  of  judaizing  at  Antioch,  and  justly  re- 
proved for  it  by  Paul                                                        147 
preaches  the  gospel  to  the  Jews  in  several  parts 

of  the  Lesser  Asia  165 

goes  to  the  ancient  city  of  Babylon,  from  whence 

he  writes  his  first  epistle  to  the  converted  Jews  ib. 

goes  to  Home,  and  is  banished  from  thence  205 

preaches  in  Africa,  Sicily,  Italy,  and  other  parts* 

and  then  returns  to  Rome  ib. 

defeats  the  machinations  of  Simon  Magus,  a  fa- 
mous sorcerer  ib. 
is  put  into  prison  bj  Nero  207 
makes  his  escape  therefrom  208 
is  again  committed  to  prison  at  Rome  ib. 
writes  his  second  epistle  to  the  converted  Jews-  210 
and  suffers  martyrdom  by  crucifixion  211 
his  character  212 
Pharaoh,  king  of  Egypt,  his  great  cruelty  to  the 

Israelites  i.       166 

refuses  to  let  them  go  into  the  wilderness  to  their 

Divine  worship  179 

oppresses  them  still  more  and  more  ib. 

sends  for  his  magicians  to  confront  Moses  182 

his  perverseness  and  hardness  of  heart,  &c.  1S3 

pursues  the  Israelites,  and,  with  his  whole  army, 

is  drowned  in  the  Red  Sea  201 

Pharaoh-Necho  slays  in  battle  Josiah  king  of  Judah     ii.      2i8 
puts  Jehoahaz  his   son  in  chains,  sends  him  pri- 
soner to  Egypt, and  constitutes  his  brother  Eli- 
akim  (afterwards  called  Jehoiakim)  king  in  his 
stead  251 

Pharisees,  their  religious  tenets,  &c.  note  iii.       47 

Phasael,  elder  brother  to  Herod  the  Great,  is  made 

supcrintendant  over  Judea  87 

is  universally  respected  88 

is  made  a  tetrarch  by  Mark  Antony  101 

is  taken  prisoner  by  the  Parthians,  and  delivered 

in  chains  to  Antigonus  103 


INDEX  4fis 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Phasacl  beats  out  his  brains  against  the  walls  of 

his  prison  iii.  105 

Philip,  king  of  Maccdon,  is  treacherously  murdered 

l»v  Pausanias,  one  of  iris  principal  officers  ii.    444 

Philip  the  Deacon  makes  many  converts  in  Samaria       iv.    120 
and  particularly  the  eunuch  that  attended  on  the 

queen  of  Ethiopia  122 

suffers  martyrdom  at  Hieropolis  228 

Philippi,  i(s  situation,  ^c.  note  151 

Philistines  invade  the  territories  of  the  Israelites, 
whom  they  conquer,  and,  for  some  time,  keep 
in  a  state  of  subjection  i.       3i9 

thirty  slaiu  at  Askelon,  by  whom,  and  on  what 

occasion  361 

set  tire  to   Samson's  father-in-law's  house,  and 

burn  him  and  his  daughter  therein  363 

a  great  number  slain  on  that  account  ib. 

a  thousand  more  destroyed  by  Samson  364 

seize  Samson,  bind  him,  and  put  out  his  eyes  368 

three  thousand  destroyed  at  his  death  369 

are  defeated  by  the  Israelites  under  Samuel  383 

are  totally  defeated  by  the  forees  of  David  459 

Phineas,  his  zeal  in  punishing  Ziniri  and  Cozbi  for 

their  indecent  behavior  269 

lias  the  priesthood  settled  on  him  and  his  pos- 
terity ib. 
Phrygia,  a  province  of  Asia  Minor,  its  situation,  &c.     iv.    150 
Pilate,  the  Roman  governor  of  Judea,  his  speech  to 

the  rulers  in  favor  of  our  Lord  44 

his  wife's   remarkable   dream,    and   the  conse- 
quence therefrom  45 
Pompey,  the  Roman  general,  hears  the  respective 

causes  of  Hyreanus  and  Aristobulus  iii.      7i 

takes  Jerusalem,  enters  the  Holy  of  Holies,  and 
visits  the  treasuries,  where  he  finds  things  of 
great  value,  but  will  not  suffer  a  single  article 
to  be  touched  78 

restores  Hyreanus  to  the  government,  and  high- 
priesthood  81 
lays  the  country  of  Judea  under  tribute,  and  an- 
nexes it  to  the  Roman  territories                                       ib. 
takes  Aristobulus,  with  four  of  his  children,  pri- 
soners to  Rome                                                                  ib. 
his   quarrel  with  Csesar,  and  the  consequences 

therefrom  83 

his  death  & 


464  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Potipbar,  captain  of  the  king  of  Egypt's  guards,  pur- 
chases Joseph  of  the  Ishmaelitish  merchants       i.       117 
makes  him  his  steward  121 

puts  him  in  prison,  and  for  what  124 

Prodigies,  account  of  those  which  preceded  the  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem  by  Titus  iv.     290 
Prophecies,  that  of  Noah  relative  to  the  descend- 
ants of  his  three  sons  iii.    155 
those  concerning  Ishmael,  the  son  of  Abraham, 

by  his  wife  Sarah  160 

concerning  Jacob  and  Esau  169 

of  Jacob,  concerning  his  posterity,  but  particu- 
larly his  son  Judah  177 
of  Moses,  concerning  a  prophet  like  unto  himself            185 
concerning  the  Jews  192 
of  Jeremiah,  Isaiah,  Micah,  Ezekiel,  and  others, 

relative  to  the  Jews  201 

concerning  the  ancient  city  of  Nineveh  223 

the  city  of  Babylon  228 

the  city  of  Tyre  240 

Egypt  254 

of  Daniel,  and  his  interpretation  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar's dream  270 
his  vision  concerning  the  four  great  empires  282 
of  the  Ram  and  He-Goat  296 
those  of  our  Blessed  Saviour  relative  to  the  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem,  and  the  linal  end  of  the 
Jewish  polity                                                             iy.    339 
Prophet,  sent  from  Jerusalem  to  foretel  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  altar  of  Bethel,  which  had  been 
erected  by  Jeroboam                                                 ii.        98 
is  forbidden  to  eat  or  drink  while  there  99 
his  disobedience  to  that  injunction,  and  his  un- 
timely death  inconsequence  thereof                               100 
Proverbs,  of  Solomon,  book  of,  its  contents,  &c.                   434 
Psalms,  book  of,  its  contents,  &e.                                           431 
Ptolemy  Soter,  one  of  Alexander's  captains,  on  the 
deatli  of  his  master  takes  possession  of  Egypt, 
and  subdues  Palestine                                                       451 
lays  siege  to  Jerusalem,  takes  it  by  storm,  and 
carries  away  100,000  of  the  Jews  captives  into 
Egypt                                                                                  452 
his  death                                                                                   ib. 
Ptolemy  Philadclpluis  succeeds  his  father  Soter  in 

the  kingdom  of  Egypt  ib. 

has  the  Jewish  laws  translated  into  Greek  453 


INDEX.  i    * 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Ptolemy  Philadelphia  issues  out  a  proclamation  in 

favor  of  the  Jews  ii.    -i.i.> 

his  death  ib. 

Ptolemy  Euergetes  succeeds  his  father  Philadel- 
phia in  the  kingdom  of  Egypt  ib. 
exacts  an  annual  tribute  from  the  Jews  ib. 
his  death                                                                           456 
Ptolemy  Philopater  succeeds  his  father  Euergetes 

in  the  kingdom  of  Egypt  ib. 

gives  himself  up  to  all  kinds  of  vices,  and  dies  un- 

lamented  ib. 

Ptolemy  Epiphanes  succeeds  his  father  Philopater 

in  the  kingdom  of  Egypt  ib. 

marries  Cleopatra,  the  daughter  of  Antiochus  the 

Great  457 

Ptolemy  Philometer  (son  and  successor  of  Epi- 
phanes) forms  an  alliance  with  Alexander  king 
of  Syria,  and  gives  him  his  daughter  Cleopatra 
in  marriage  iii.      20 

discovers  a  plot  concerted  against  him  by  his 

son-in-law  25 

takes  his  daughter  Cleopatra  from  him,  and  gives 

her  to  Demetrius  24 

is  offered  the  throne  of  Syria,  but  refuses  it,  and 
prevails  on  the  people  to  receive  Demetrius  in 
his  stead  ib. 

his  death  25 

Ptolemy,  son-in-law  to  Simon,  murders  him  and  his 

two  sons  Judas  and  Mattathias  40 

Ptolemy  Lathyrus,  king  of  Egypt,  is  dethroned  by 

his  mother  Cleopatra  54 

retires  to  Cyprus  ib. 

engages  and  defeats  Alexander  Jannaeus  57 

lias  some  thoughts  of  recovering  the  throne  of 
Egypt  in  the  absence  of  his  mother,  but  find- 
ing greater  difficulties  than  he  had  imagined, 
gives  up  all  thoughts  of  prosecuting  his  design, 
and  returns  with  his  army  to  Cyprus  58 

Pul,  king  of  Assyria,  invades   the  territories  of 
Menahem,  king  of  Israel,  who  presents  him 
with  a  thousand  talents  of  silver  to  withdraw 
his  forces 
Purification,  ceremony  of  after  battle,  nole 
Puteoli,  town  of,  its  situation,  6cc.  note 
Pyramids,' Egyptian,  description  of 
vox.  iv,         3  N 


ii. 

205 

i. 

271 

iv. 

196 

j. 

210 

466  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Quails,  great  numbers  sent  for  food  into  the  camp 

of  the  Israelites  i.      218 

are  thought  by  some  to  have  been  locusts,  but  by 
others  that  they  were  really  feathered  fowl, 
note  ib. 

are  again  sent  to  quiet  the  murmurs  of  the  people  244 

R 

Rabbi,  the  signification  of  that  term  iv.    496 

Rachel,  her  marriage  with  Jacob  i,        94 

her  impatience  for  want  of  children  ib. 

prevails  on  her  husband  to  take  her  handmaid 

Bilhah  as  his  concubinary  wife  95 

desires  Leah's  mandrakes,  which  she  obtains  on 

certain  conditions  ib. 

is  blessed  with  a  son,  whom  she  calls  Joseph  96 

steals  her  father's  idols,  and  conceals  them  98 

dies  in  childbed  in  her  journey  to  Mamre  111 

Rahab,  her  kindness  to  the  Israelitish  spies  286 

Rebecca  is  married  to  Isaac  77 

has  two  sons  at  a  birth,  namely  Esau  and  Jacob  79 

resents  Esau's  marrying  without  her  consent  84 

instigates  Jacob  to  steal  away  his  father's  blessing  85 
Rechabites,  who  they  were,  and  in  what  manner 

they  lived,  note  253 
Rehoboam  succeeds  his  father  Solomon,  and  goes 

to  Shechem  ii.       94 

refuses  the  advice  of  his  father's  counsellors, 
upon  which  ten  of  the  tribes  revolt,  and  make 

Jeroboam  king  95 

flies  to  Jerusalem,  and  by  that  means,  secures 

the  two  tribes  of  Judah  and  Benjamin  96 

resolves  to  seek  revenge  on  his  disaffected  sub- 
jects, but  is  restrained  therefrom  by  the  proph- 
et Shemaiah  ib. 

keeps  up  the  worship  of  God  more  out  of  state 

poiicy  than  religion  102 

encourages  idolatry  ib. 

is  invaded  by  Shishak,  king  of  Egypt,  who  takes 

and  plunders  Jerusalem  103 

the  number  of  his  wives  and  concubines  ib. 

his  death  ib. 


INDEX.  4»; 

VOL.   RACK. 

Reuben  commits  incest  with  his  father's  concu- 

binary  wife  Bilhah  i.       112 

is  the  cause  of  saving  his  brother  Joseph's  life  lie 
Reubenites,  &c.  settle  on  the  east  side  of  the  river 

Jordan  272 

assist  the  other  tribes  in  the  conquest  of  Canaan  273 

are  dismissed  with  honor  by  Joshua  299 
a  misunderstanding  takes  place  between  them 

and  the  tribes  on  the  west  of  the  Jordan  300 

is  rectified,  and  by  whom  301 
Revelation  from  God  necessary,  as  deduced  from 

the  depraved  state  of  human  nature  iv.     267 
Rhegium,  a   sea-port  in  Italy,   derivation  of  its 

name,  &c.  note  ±96 

Rhodes,  isle  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  176 

Riblah,  its  situation,  6cc.  note  251 

Rod  of  Moses,  its  great  powers  i.       182 

that  of  Aaron  buds,  and  produces  ripe  almonds  254 

the  cause  of  this  astonishing  circumstance  ib« 

Ruth,  story  of,  325 


Sabbath,  when  first  instituted,  and  on  what  oc- 
casion 
Sabbath  Breakers,  ordered  to  be  stoned  to  death 
Sacrifices,  nature  of,  note 
Saddueees,  their  religious  tenets,  &c. 
Salamis,  city  of,  its  situation,  &e.  note 
Salt,  valley  of,  its  situation,  and  why  so  called,  note 
Samaria,  its  origin,  founder  and  situation 

is  taken  and  destroyed  by  order  of  Hyrcanus 
Samaritans  obstruct  the  Jews  in  re-building  their 
temple  after  their  return  from  the  Babylonish 
captivity  ii,     321 

petition  Cambyses  openly  that  the  building  may 

be  stopped  324 

their  address  on  the  same  occasion  to  Artaxerxes  325 

their  farther  application  to  Tatnai,  governor  of 

Syria  and  Palestine,  on  the  same  account  330 

are  obliged  to  contribute  towards  the  building, 

by  order  of  Darius  333 

apply  to  Alexander  the  Great,  requesting  him  to 
honor  their  city  and  temple  with  his  presence; 
but  are  rejected  with  indignation  447 


iv. 

73 

i. 

254 

52 

iii. 

47 

iv. 

135 

ii. 

182 

111 

iii. 

46 

US  INDEX.    - 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Samos,  isle  of,  where  situated,  and  for  what  famous, 

note  iv.    173 

Samothraeia,  island  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  151 

Samson,  his  birth  i.      358 

shews  early  instances  of  his  great  courage  and 

strength  ib. 

marries  a  Philistine  woman  of  Timnah  ib. 

propounds  a  riddle  to  his  relations,  and  the  com- 
pany assembled  at  the  marriage-feast  360 
the  explanation  of  it  is  secretly  divulged  by  his 
wife,  at  which  he  is  so  enraged,  that  he  goes 
immediately  to  Askalon,  and  slays  thirty  Phil- 
istines 361 
sets  the  Philistines'  corn  on  fire  by  foxes                           362 
slays  1000  Philistines  with  the  jaw  bone  of  an  ass             364 
is  greatly   distressed   by   excessive   thirst,   but 

providentially  relieved  365 

carries  away  the  gates  of  Gaza  366 

is  enamored  with  a  woman  named  Delilah,  who, 
at  the  instigation  of  the  Philistines,  getting 
information  from  him  that  his  great  strength 
Avas  owing  to  his  hair,  cuts  it  off  ib. 

in  consequence  of  this  he  is  taken  by  the  Philis- 
tines, who  put  out  his  eyes,  shut  him  up  in 
prison,  and  make  him  grind  in  a  mill  as  a  slave  368 

destroys  three  thousand  of  them,  and  himself  at 

the  same  time  369 

character  of  him  370 

Samuel,  his  birth  372 

is  presented  by  his  mother  to  Eli  the  high-priest  373 

God's  first  revelation  to  him  375 

succeeds  Eli  in  the  government  382 

obtains  a  signal  victory  over  the  Philistines  383 

commits  the  administration  of  justice  to  his  two 
sons  Joel  and  Abiah,  who  become  corrupt 
judges  38* 

anoints  Saul  king  of  the  Israelites  388 

his  resignation  of  the  government  to  Saul  31)2 

orders  Agag,  king  of  the  Amalekites,  to  bo 
brought  before  him,  and  slays  him  with  his 
own  hand  402 

is  sent  to  Bethlehem,  to  anoint  David,  the  son  of 

Jesse,  king  and  successor  of  Saul  404 

his  death,  burial  and  character  428 

Sanballat  opposes  the  Jews  in  their  repairing  and 

fortifying  Jerusalem  ii.     417 


INDEX.  iro 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Sanballat  occasion*  great  disorders  in  the  Jewish 

Btate  ii.     412 

obtains  of  Alexander  the  Great  permission  lo 

build  a  temple  on  .Mount  (ieivziin  445 

Sanhedrim,  or  general  council  of  the  Jewish  nation, 
of  whom  they  were  to  consist,  and  what  persons 
were  excluded,  note  501 

are  determined  to  put  our  Saviour  to  death,  and 

for  what  reasons  iii.    475 

resolve  the  like  a  second  time  iv.         7 

agree  with  Judas,  for  a  small  sum,  to  have  bis 

master  delivered  to  them  8 

cause  him  to  be  apprehended,  and  brought  be- 
fore them  30 
grossly  insult  him  34 
condemn  him  to  death,  and  cause  him  to  be  first 

scourged,  and  then  crucified  38 

Sarai  goes  with  her  husband  Abraham  into  Egypt, 

where*  for  some  time,  she  passes  for  his  sister     i.         46 
is  in  danger  of  being  defiled  by  Pharaoh,  but 

escapes  by  a  miraculous  interposition  47 

her  name  is  changed  from  Sarai  to  Sarah  57 

is  in  danger  of  being  defiled  by  Abimeleeh,  king 
of  Gerar,  but  again  eseapes  by  Divine  interposi- 
tion 64 
has  a  son  named  Isaac                                                           65 
Saul  is  anointed  king  by  Samuel                                              388 
is  elected  by  the  general  voice  of  the  people                     390 
vanquishes  Nahash,  king  of  the  Ammonites                     391 
engages  the  Philistines,  and  defeats  them                          397 
makes  a  rash  and  imprudent  interdict                                   ib. 
saves  Agag,  king  of  the  Amalekites                                  400 
grows  melancholy,  and  sends  for  David  to  play 

to  him  on  his  harp  ib. 

makes  him  one  of  his  armor-bearers  405 

grows  jealous   of  him  and  attempts  to  kill  him 

with  a  javelin  409 

to  have  him  slain  by  the  Philistines  410 

gives  him  his  daughter  in  marriage  411 

orders  his  son  Jonathan  and  some  of  his  courtiers 

to  dispatch  him  412 

attempts  once  more  to  kill  him  with  a  javelin  414 

sends  a  guard  to  apprehend  him  in  his  own  house, 

from  whence  he  narrowly  escapes  ib. 

sends  another  party  of  soldiers  to  seize  him  at 
IVaioth,  but  to  no  purpose  *16 


470  INDEX. 

VOL.   PAGE. 

Saul  throws  a  javelin  at  his  son  Jonathan  with  in- 
tent to  kill  him  i.       419 
slays  Ahiinelech,  priest  of  Nob,  with  many  others 
of  the  sacerdotal  order,  and  massacres  all  the 
inhabitants  of  that  city  423 
pursues  David  into  the  deserts  of  Maon,  and  from 
thence  to  the  strong  holds  of  Engedi,  where 
David  has  an  opportunity  of  taking  away  his 
life,  but  refuses  so  to  do  426 
pursues  him  again  to  the  mountains  of  Havilah, 

where  David  once  more  spares  his  life  43* 

applauds  David's  generosity,  and  promises  not  to 

make  any  future  attempt  on  his  life  435 

is  invaded  by  the  Philistines,  upon  which,  in  a  fit 

of  despair,  he  consults  the  witch  of  Endor  437 

is  forewarned  by  amuel's  Ghost,  not  only  of  the 
defeat  of  his  army,  but  of  the  deaths  of  himself 
and  sons  439 

is  vanquished  by  the  Philistines,  falls  upon  his 

own  sword,  and  dies  443 

he  and  his  sons,  after  their  deaths,  are  stripped  of 
their  armor,  have  their  heads  cut  off,  and  their 
bodies  hung  on  the  walls  of  Bethshan  444 

are  afterwards  taken    down  by  the    Gileadites, 

burnt,  and  their  ashes  decently  interred  ib. 
Schools  of  the  prophets,  nature  of,  note                                415 
Scriptures,   the   authority   and   excellency   of,  as 
founded  on  the  express  and  frequent  assertions 
of  Moses,  the  prophets,  and  apostles                        iv.    277 
Internal  Worth  and  Excellency  of,  as  con- 
taining the  best  principles  of  knowledge,  holi- 
ness and  comfort                                                                283 
Sea,  Red,  its  situation,  and  why  so  called,  note             i.     195 
Seir,  mount,  note                                                                    101 
Seleucia,  city  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note                           iv.    135 
Seleucus  Philopater  succeeds  his  father  Antiochus 

the  Great  on  the  throne  of  Syria  Hi.   462 

oppresses  the  Jews  ib. 

is  poisoned  by  Heliodorus  464 

Sennacherib  succeeds  his  father  Shalmancser  on  the 

throne  of  Assyria  ii.     210 

invades  Judca  230 

is  bribed  by  Hezekiah  to  withdraw  his  forces  233 

sends  a  deiachment  of  his  forces  to  lay  siege  to 

Jerusalem  ib. 

marches  against  Egypt,  and  why  235 


INDEX.  471 

VOL.    PACE. 

sends  a  haughty  message  to  Hezekiah  ii.     235 

returns  tVoin  Egypt,  and  marches  against  Jeru- 
salem 236 

the  greater  part  of  his  forces  are  miraculously 

destroyed  by  an  an^el  ib. 

retrials  with  the  remainder  to  Nincvah,  where 

he  is  assassinated  by  his  two  sons  ib. 

Serpent  beguiles  Eve  to  eat  the  forbidden  fruit  i.        ±7 

its  shape  before  that  period  ib. 

is  supposed  to  have  been  Satan  in  that  disguise  ib. 

the  sentence  denounced  against  it  19 

Serpents,  account  of  those  which  fatally  stung  the 
Israelites  when  on  their  way  to  the  laud  of 
Canaan  259 

why  they  were  called  fiery,  note  ib. 

Setli,  the  third  son  of  Adam,  born  23 

his  descendants  lead  a  religious  life  for  a  time, 
but  at  length  degenerate  by  intermarrying  with 
the  descendants  of  Cain  25 

Shadrach,  Meshach  and  Abednego  are  thrown  into 
a  fiery  furnace,  by  order  of  Nebuchadnezzar, 
king  of  Babylon  299 

their  miraculous  escape  therefrom  300 

Shallum,  murders  Zachariah,king  of  Israel,  usurps 
the  throne,  and  is  slain  by  Manahem,  general 
of  his  forces  ii.    304 

Shalmaneser,  king  of  Assyria,  reduces  Samaria  207 

puts  Hoshea,  king  of  Israel,  in  prison  during  his 

life  ib. 

carries  away  not  only  the  inhabitants  of  Samaria, 
but  those  of  the  principal  cities  in  the  Israeli- 
tish  dominions,  and  substitutes  in  their  stead 
people  from  different  nations,  by  which  means, 
an  end  is  put  to  the  kingdom  of  Israel  ib. 

his  death  210 

Sheba,  the  son  of  Biehri,  a  Benjamite,  raises  a  re- 
bellion against  David  ii.      12 

is  pursued  by  David's  forces,  and  flies  to  Abel- 
Maacah,  the  inhabitants  of  which,  to  save  their 
city,  cut  off  his  head,  and  throw  it  over  the  wall 
to  Joab  in  the  presence  of  David's  forces  14 

Sheba,  queen  of,  pays  a  visit  to  Solomon  86 

makes  him  many  valuable  presents  87 

Shechem  defiles  Dinah,  the  daughter  of  Jacob  i.      106 

desires  her  in  marriage  ib. 


472  INDEX. 

VOL.   PAGE. 

Shecliem  is  deceived  by  her  brothers  Simeon  and 
Levi,  who  having  laid  a  plan  for  the  purpose, 
not  only  murder  Shechem  and  his  father,  but 
all  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  i.     107 

Shechemites  are  defeated  by  Abimelech,  and  fly  for 
security  to  their  strong  holds  belonging  to  the 
temple  of  their  idol  Berith  346 

are  pursued  by  Abimelech,  who  orders  a  pile  of 
wood  to  be  placed  before  the  mouth  of  each, 
which  being  set  on  fire,  they  all  perish  in  the 
flames  347 

Sliem  receives  a  blessing  from  his  father  Noah  34 

the  settlement  of  his  descendants  after  the  flood  38 

Shibboleth,  import  of  the  word,  and  on  what  occa- 
sion used,  note  354 
Shimei,  a  descendant  of  Saul,  treats  David  with 

great  indignity  500 

begs  pardon  for  his  conduct  ii.        8 

is  confined  at  large  in  Jerusalem  by  Solomon,  but, 
breaking  his  bounds,  is,  by  his  order,  put  to 
death  52 

Shishak,  king  of  Egypt,  invades  Judea,  and  takes 

Jerusalem  103 

Shushan,  city  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  334 

Sichem,  city  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  i.       45 

Silas,  the  companion  of  St.  Paul,  accompanies  him 
into  various  countries,  in  order  to  assist  him  in 
propagating  the  Gospel  iv.  149 

is  apprehended  at  Philippi  and  scourged  152 

is  committed  to  prison,  but  at  length  honorably 

dismissed  153 

Siloam,  fountain  of,  its  rise,  situation,  &c.  note  iii.    433 

Simeon  and  I  evi  murder  all  the  inhabitants  of  She- 
cliem, and  why  i.     107 
Simeon,  tribe  of,  join  that  of  Judah  to  prosecute  the 
war  against  the  Canaanites  after  the  death  of 
Joshua  303 
are  successful  in  their  enterprizes  304 
Simon,  the  Maccabee,  succeeds  his  brother  Jona- 
than in  the  command  of  the  Jewish  forces             iii*     37 
obtains  the  independent  sovereignty  of  Judea,  and 

destroys  the  fortress  of  Acra  ib. 

he   and  his  two  sons,  Judas  and  Mattathias,  are 
perfidiously  murdercdjbv  Ptolemv,  his  son-in- 
law  40 
his  character,  note  41 


INDEX  i:.. 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Simon  Magus  is  in  high  repute  at  Samaria  for  his 

magical  arts                                                         iv.    120 
becomes  a  pretended  convert  to  Philip,  and  why  ih. 
otters  money  to  he  enabled  to  work  such  mira- 
cles as  the  apostles  did  121 
his  offer  rejected  with  scorn  by  Peter  ih. 
is  greatly  affected  hy  Peter's  rebuke  ih. 
is  in  high  repute  at  Rome  fop  his  magical  arts  205 
is  defeated  hy  St.  Peter,  and  hy  what  means  206 
his  fall  in  attempting  to  fly,  and  his  death  con- 
sequent thereupon  ih. 
Simon,  one  of  our  Lord's  disciples,  why  called  the 

zealot  233 
preaches  in  various  parts,  and  at  length  suffers 

martyrdom  235 
Sin,  wilderness  of,  its  situation,  ecc.  note                      i.     217 

Sinai,  mount,  its  situation  173 
Sisera,  general  of  Jabin's  forces,  is  killed  by  Jacl, 

the  wife  of  Heher  the  Kenite,  and  how  323 
Sodom,  the  wickedness  of  its  inhabitants  58 
their  impious  endeavors  to  abuse  Lot's  guests  60 
are  struck  with  blindness  by  them  61 
are  destroyed  by  fire  from  heaven  62 
Solomon,  his  birth  481 
is  placed  under  the  care  of  Nathan  the  prophet  ib. 
is  anointed,  and  proclaimed  king  of  Israel               ii.         31 
orders  Adonijah  to  be  put  to  death  51 
banishes  Abiathar,  the  high-priest  ib. 
orders  Joab,  who  had  fled  for  refuge  to  the  sanc- 
tuary, to  be  slain  52 
confines  Shimei,  a  prisoner  at  large  in  Jerusalem, 
but  afterwards  puts  him  to  death  for  breaking 
his  bounds  53 
marries  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh,  king  of  Egypt  5-i 
goes  to  Gibeon,  and  offers  sacrifices  to  the  Lord  55 
is  promised  to  have  whatever  he  asks  ih. 
prays  for  wisdom  to  govern  the  people  56 
his  wisdom  displayed  in  a  case  brought  before 

him  between  two  contending  mothers  ib. 

his  extensive  dominions  59 
gives  amazing  proofs  of  his  great  wisdom  and 

learning  60 

is  congratulated  by  Hiram,  king  of  Tyre  61 
his  letter  to  Hiram,  for  materials  and  workmen  to 

build  the  temple,  with  Hiram's  favorable  answer  ih. 

begins  and  finishes  the  temple  in  seven  years  62 
yol.  iv.        3   O 


*74  INDEX. 

VOL,    PASE. 

Solomon's  dedication  of  it,  and  solemn  prayer  to 

God  on  the  occasion  ii.       77 

his  vision  the  night  following  83 

builds  him  a  palace,  and  other  pompous  structures  84 

his  palace  described,  note  ib. 

fits  out  a  fleet  of  ships  86 

his  prodigious  revenues,  and  magnificent  way  of 

living  ib. 

is  visited  by  the  queen  of  Sheba,  who  makes  him 

many  valuable  presents  ib. 

falls  into  idolatry,  through  the  influence  of  his 

foreign  wives  89 

is  reproved  by  a  prophet  from  God,  who  raises 
up  some  powerful  enemies  to  disturb  him  in 
the  latter  part  of  his  reign  90 

his  death,  burial  and  character  93 

Solomon's  porch,  what,  and  why  so  called,  note  iii.   441 

Solomona  and  her  seven  sons,  their  magnanimity 

under  the  persecution  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes      ii.     471 
Song  of  Solomon,  book  of,  its   contents,  &c.  437 

Sorek,  valley  of,  where  situated,  and  for  what 

famous,  note  i.      366 

Spies,  twelve  chosen  by  Moses,  and  sent  to  take  a 

view  of  the  land  of  Canaan  246 

ten  of  them  give  a  false  report  of  the  country, 
for  which  they  are  all  destroyed  by  a  sudden 
death  ib. 

two  sent  by  Joshua  to  take  a  view  of  Jericho  286 

are  kindly  entertained  by  a  woman  named  Rahab, 

and  their  agreement  with  her  thereupon  ib. 

by  her  advice  and  assistance,  they  return  to  the 

camp  in  safety.  287 

Stephen,  the  proto-martyr,  is  constituted  one  of  the 
seven  deacons,  and  the  solemnity  of  his  ordi- 
nation iv.    113 

preaches  with  courage  and  resolution,  works 
several  miracles,  and  makes  a  great  number 
of  converts  ib. 

is  accused  of  blasphemy,  and  brought  before  the 

Sanhedrim  114 

his  speech  on  that  occasion  ib. 

incenses  the  Jews  thereby  to  that  degree,  that 

they  resolve  to  put  him  to  death  118 

has  a  vision,  and  declares  what  he  had  seen  ib. 

is  thereupon  stoned,  prays  for  his  murderers,  and 

gives  up  the  ghost  ib. 


INDEX.  i: 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Suecoth,  import  of  the  name,  and  where  situated, 

note  i.      105 

Susanna  and  the  Elders,  story  of  ii.      310 
Synagogues,  origin  of,  nature  of  their  construction, 

and  the  mode  of  performing  divine  service  350 

Syracuse,  city  of,  its  situation,  Ace.  note  iv.    196 

description  of  when  in  its  splendor  ib. 

and  by  whom  destroyed  ib. 


Tabernacle,  its  first  erection  i,      230 

description  of  ib. 

Tabor,  mount,  its  situation,  and  from  whence  it 

received  its  name,  note  321 

Tamar,  the  daughter  of  David,  is  ravished  by  her 

brother  Amnon  484 

is  afterwards  ill-treated  by  him  ib. 

the  injury  done  her  resented  by  her  brother  Ab- 
salom 486 
Temple  of  Jerusalem,  when  begun  to  be  built  by 

Solomon  ii.       62 

is  finished  in  the  space  of  seven  years  63 

particular  description  of  70 

this  and  the  city  plundered  and  burnt  by  order  of 

Nebuchadnezzar  280 

the  foundation  of  the  new  temple  laid  by  the 

Jews  after  their  restoration  from  captivity  319 

the  building  finished  and  solemnly  dedicated  332 

The9salonica,  its  situation  iv.     154 

Thomas,  the  apostle,  openly  declares  his  disbelief 

of  the  resurrection  of  our  blessed  Redeemer  74 

but  is  soon  convinced  thereof,  and  how  75 

preaches  in  India,  and  there  suffers  martyrdom  2S2 

Three  Taverns,  a  place  so  called,  where  situated, 

note  197 

Tiglath-Pileser,  king  of  Assyria,  ravages  the  terri- 
tories of  Pekah,  king  of  Israel,  and  carries 
away  great  numbers  of  his  subjects  ii.    206 

inarches  against  Rezin  king  of  Syria,  with  a  great 
army,  kills  him,  takes  Damascus,  and  trans- 
plants the  people  to  Kir  223 
Tigris,  river  of,  its  course,  note                                            211 
Timotheus,  general  of  the  Syrian  army,  is  defeated 

by  Judas  Maccabeu*  506 


476  INDEX. 

VOL.   PAGE. 

Timothy  becomes  a  companion  of  St.  Paul  iv.    150 

is  constituted  bishop  ot'Ephesus  170 

some  account  of  his  life  241 

his  martyrdom  243 

Tirzah,  once  the  royal  city  of  the  kings  of  Israel 

note  ii.    204 

Titus,  constituted  bishop  of  Crete  by  St.  Paul  149 

particulars  of  his  lile  and  death  243 

Titus,  son  of  Vespasian,  inarches  into  Judea,  and 
reduces  most  of  the  principal  places  in  that 
country  iv.   322 

lays  siege  to  Jerusalem  331 

sends  Josephus  to  persuade  his  countrymen  to 
submit,  which  proving  ineffectual  he  prosecutes 
the  siege  with  the  utmost  rigor  332 

makes  himself  master  of  the  place,  and,  except 
three  towers,  levels  the  whole  city  and  temple 
with  the  ground  336 

returns  to  Rome,  is  received  in  triumph,  and  has 

a  magnificent  arch  erected  to  his  honor  337 

Tobit  and  Tobias,  history  of 
Tree  of  Knowledge,  why  so  called,  note 
Troas,  province  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note 
Trogyllium,  a  promontory  so  called,  its  situation, 

&e.  note  17-i 

Tryphon  sets  up  Antiochus,  the  son  of  Alexander 

for  the  kingdom  of  Syria  iii.     29 

cruelly  puU  to  death  Jonathan  and  his  two  sons  36 

privately  murders  Antiochus,  and  by  his  artiiices 

obtains  the  throne  of  Syria  ib. 

is  vanquished  by  Antiochus  Sidetes,  the  brother 

of  Demetrius,  and  put  to  death  at  Apamea  39 

Tyre,  city  of,  prophecies  concerning  240 

U 

Vespasian  is  appointed  by  the  emperor  Nero  to  re- 
duce the  Jews  to  obedience  iv.    306 

engages  them   near  Ascalon,  routs  their  forces, 

kills  great  numbers,  and  puts  the  rest  to  flight  307 

marches  into  Galilee,  and  makes  liimself  master 

ofGadara  310 

lays  siege  to  Jotapata,  which,  after  great  oppo- 
sition, he  reduces,  puts  the  greater  part  of  the 
inhabitants  to  the  sword,  and  lays  the  whole 
city  in  ruins  311 


11. 

208 

i. 

16 

iv. 

150 

INDEX.  477 

VOL.    PAGE, 

Vespasian  repairs  with  his  army  io  Cscsarca,  and 

there  takes  op  his  winter  quarters  iv.    321 

marelics  into  Judca,  and  reduces  the  principal 

places  in  that  country  828 

returns  to  Csesarea,  and  forms  the  resolution  of 

laying  siege  to  Jerusalem  ib. 

is  prevented  therefrom  by  the  death  of  the  em- 
peror Nero  ib. 

is  chosen  emperor  by  the  officers  of  the  army  32* 

gains  over  to  his  interest  the  people  of  Alexan- 
dria, and  receives  congratulatory  addresses 
from  Tiberius  the  governor,  and  Mueianus 
governor  of  Syria  ib. 

goes  to  Alexandria,  and  is  received  with  univer- 
sal joy  by  the  people  327 

is  declared  emperor  by  the  senate,  and  the  title 
of  Csesar  conferred  on  his  two  sons  Titus  and 
Domitian  330 

goes  to  Rome,  where  he  is  received  with  great 
joy  and  triumph,  and  immediately  takes  upon 
himself  the  government  of  the  empire  337 

erects  a  temple  to  peace,  and  places  in  it  most  of 
the  rich  spoils  taken  by  his  son  at  the  siege  of 
Jerusalem  ib. 

shews  a  particular  respect  for  Joseplius,  and 
orders  a  public  statue  to  be  erected  to  his 
memory  338 

Vitellius  usurps  the  sovereignty  of  the  Roman  em- 
pire after  the  death  of  Nero  322 

is  opposed  by  Antonius,  the  friend  of  Vespasian, 
by  whom  he  is  defeated,  and  all  his  troops  put 
to  the  sword  327 

is  dragged  from  his  palace,  ignominiously  led  to 

the  common  place  of  execution,  and  there  put 

to  death,  after  which  his  body  is  thrown  into 

the  river  Tiber  329 

Ur,  a  city  of  Chaldea,  by  whom  built,  note  i.       43 

Uriah  loses  his  life  by  the  contrivance  of  David, 

and  for  what  471 

Uzzah,  for  his  presumption  in  touching  the  ark  of 

the  Lord  is  instantly  struck  dead  4G0 

Uzzah,  garden  of,  why  so  called  ii.     2il 

Uzziah  succeeds  his  father  Amaziah  in  <hc  king- 
dom of  Judah  1*j" 


478  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Uzziah  conquers  the  Philistines  and  Arabiaus,  and 
having  subdued  the  Ammonites,  makes  them 
become  his  tributaries  ii.     195 

repairs  the  walls  of  Jerusalem,  and  adds  several 

new  fortifications  to  them  ib. 

usurps  the  sacerdotal  office,   for  which  he  is 

struck  with  a  severe  leprosy  197 

languishes  under  his  disorder  for  some  years  ib. 

W 

Wise  men  of  the  east  take  their  observation  of  an 
uncommon  star,  and  thereupon  immediately 
set  out  for  Jerusalem,  and  for  what  purpose         iii.    328 

on  their  arrival  are  examined  by  Herod,  and  dis- 
missed to  Bethlehem  329 

see  the  same  star  again,  and  by  means  thereof 

find  out  the  child  Jesus  ib. 

fall  prostrate  and  adore  him  ib. 

present  him  gold,  frankincense  and  myrrh  ib. 

return  into  their  own  country,  but  not  by  Jerusa- 
lem as  Herod  had  commanded  them,  and  the 
reason  why  ib. 

Witch  of  Endor,  by  the  desire  of  king  Saul,  raises 

the  Ghost  of  Samuel  [439 

courteously  entertains  the  king  ib. 

World,  out  of  what,  and  when  created  i.  9 

the  inhabitants  of  it  destroyed  by  water,  except 

Noah  and  his  family  28 

in  what  manner  it  was  peopled  after  the  flood  36 

Writing,  method  of  used  by  the  Egyptians  207 

X 

Xerxes  succeeds  his  father  Darius  on  the  throne  of 

Persia  ii.      334 

confirms  all  those  privileges  to  the  Jews  which 

had  been  granted  them  by  his  father  ib. 

falls  into  contempt  with  his  subjects,  and  is  mur- 
dered by  the  captain  of  his  guards  ib. 


Zabad  and  Jehozabad,  two  domestics  belonging  to 
Jehoash,  king  of  Judah,  murder  their  master, 


INDEX.  479 

VOL.   tage. 

in  revenge  for  his  having  put  to  death  the 

prophet  Zaehariah  ii.     180 

Zachariali  the  prophet  is  stoned  to  death  by  order 

of  Jchoash  king  of  Judah  179 

Zachariah  the  son  of  Jeroboam  II.  succeeds  his 

father  on  the  throne  of  Israel  203b 

after  a  reign  of  only  six  months  is  murdered  by 

Shallum,  who  usurps  (he  government  ib. 

Zalmunna  and  Zeba,  two  Midianitish  princes,  taken 
prisoners  Ly  Gideon,  who,  for  their  cruelty, 
slays  them  both  with  his  own  hands  i.      340 

Zarephath,  or  Sarepta,  its  situation,  &c.  note  ii.      115 

Zedckiah  succeeds  to  the  government  of  Judea,  on 
his  nephew's  being  taken  prisoner  by  Nebu- 
chadnezzar 258 
is  reproved  by  the  prophet  Jeremiah  for  his 

wickedness  259 

enters  into  a  confederacy  with  Pharaoh  Hophra, 
king  of  Egypt  against  Nebuchadnezzar  king 
of  Assyria  275 

is  taken  prisoner  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  who  orders 
his  eyes  to  be  put  out,  sends  him  to  Babylon, 
and  keeps  him  confined  the  remainder  of  his 
days  279 

Zephaniah  the  prophet,  the  time  in  which  he  lived, 

and  the  nature  of  his  prophecies,  note  252 

Zerubbabel  is  made  governor  of  Judea  by  Cyrus 
on  the  restoration  of  the  Jews  from  the  Baby- 
lonish captivity  317 
receives  great  honors  from  Darius  Hystaspes, 

and  for  what  329 

his  death  413 

Ziba,  his  perfidy  to  his  master  Mephibosheth  i.     500 

is  detected  in  his  iniquity,  and  punished  accord- 
ingly ii.        9 

Ziglag,  town  of,  given  to  David  by  Achish  king  of 

the  country  i.     436 

its  situation,  &c.  note  ib. 

Zilpah  becomes  concubinary  wife  to  Jacob  95 

Zimri  and  Cozbi,  their  indecent  behavior  at  the 

door  of  the  tabernacle  269 

are  put  to  death  for  it  by  Phineas  the  son  of 

Eleazar  the  high-priest  "** 

Zimri,  a  considerable  officer  belonging  to  Elah, 
king  of  Israel,  murders  his  master,  and  usurps 
the  government  u«  liu 


430  INDEX. 

VOL.    PAGE. 

Ziinri  is  attacked  by  Omri,  general  of  Elah's  forces, 
who  is  declared  king  by  the  army ;  upon  which 
lie  shuts  himself  up  in  his  palace,  and,  des- 
pairing of  any  quarter,  sets  fire  to  it,  and  per- 
ishes in  the  flames  ii.     110 
Ziph,  desert  of,  its  situation,  &c.  note  i.      425 
Zipporah,  the  daughter  of  Jethro,  marries  Moses  173 
circumcises  her  son  with  a  flint  or  sharp  stone, 
and  why  177 


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